Misery Business
by Ladelle
Summary: By fluke or stroke of malice, Naruto wakes up in the future. He is unknowingly a key piece in a corporate struggle for power, and struggles to maintain his sexuality, especially with the corporate Mogul Uchiha wanting more than just his intelligence. EPIC
1. The Beginning

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Summary:** AU. 'Welcome to survival of the fittest, where the games are deadly and the players are ruthless.' Naruto is a typical college student struggling to balance a diploma and a social life when one of his projects lands him nearly two hundred years in the future. Trapped as the central figure to a conspiracy beyond his control Naruto is bound by vengeance to undo the past. But at what cost to his sanity? Eventual SasuNaru. Rated M for language and future scenes.

**Comments:** Revised Edition!

Thank you again to all of my valued reviewers and your patience as I sift through these chapters and work out the kinks. Your the best and it will all be worth it in the end!

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**Chapter 1: **

There was no surprise in the fact that Lab #213 was completely void of human life, spare a small professor crooked somewhat callously over a stack of particularly butch looking reading material. The lab room was devastatingly silent as he thumbed through an awkward looking text, his glasses slowly riding the length of his nose and beads of sweat beginning to form on the creased skin of his forehead. He was an old man with bony fingers and beady eyes, and an intelligence that remained unaffected over the duration of his existence, which for many of the professors at the University of Colorado, said a great deal.

As his eyes skimmed the line of a particular passage he most always found amusing, his lips turned upward, revealing a perfectly white set of porcelain dentures, and dimples creased the freckled span of his cheek. He let out a hoarse laugh and scribbled a few notes into a journal placed in his lap, shaking his head as he did so. He was working to perfect an equation that seemed impossible, and he reveled in the fact that he found no biography or documentation helpful in his quest.

He sighed and peered out the ground level window or Porter Hall, twisting his crumpled figure backwards in an attempt to stretch, grimacing as his back let out an earsplitting _crack_! It was no surprise that the view from his window was nothing but a dying tree and a rusting bike rack, and he felt somewhat renewed when a student tumbled past with a few friends, laughing and shaking a bottle of Corona into the night sky.

_A risky move_, the professor thought. The CU campus was strict when it came to alcohol, and he knew that tonight would be no exception, even if it was the homecoming game. He hunched over his desk and examined his watch, taking a long breath as he did so. In a few hours the campus would be littered with students as the game dispersed, and he had every intension of escaping the surge of college unity long before he had to grapple through an array of drunken teenagers. Taking one last look at the withering oak, the professor thrust his glasses to the bridge of his nose and settled his eyes onto a tattered pamphlet that had exhumed from Norlin Library only a few days previous. His eyes lit up like a child's and he grinned. He hadn't yet had a chance to browse through the crumbling work of literature.

As his fingers slid through the frail pages of the book, a heavy-set janitor shimmied through his doorway, a squawking cart in tow. The professor peered up with irritation as the janitor shuffled about, the loose ear piece cords of an iPod prodding through his cotton overalls. The professor blinked a few times as the janitor fumbled around the room, shaking in rhythm to whatever music was beating into his ears. The professor rolled his eyes as the janitor shimmied out, still unaware of the older man's company. As soon as the squeaking faded from the hall, the professor resumed his reading, a crease forming on his brow as he entered a state of concentration. The familiar squeak of tennis shoes on linoleum broke him from his concentration again, and he silently fumed. He had chosen this night in particular to pent up in Porter Hall, all alone and undistracted by students. So _why,_ why was there a student _running_ around inside his building?

The thumping grew louder and he flippantly threw down his booklet, eyes glued to the doorway. He had a frightening angry-old-man face, and on an occasion such as this, he was not afraid to utilize it. He glared, waiting as the footsteps became louder and louder. He could sense the person coming more and more near to room #213, and he narrowed his eyes with so much effort that he felt a strain in his temple. He rubbed it.

_Closer_, he thought, _just a little bit…_

The footsteps stopped. As if a student had disappeared into thin air right outside of his classroom, the heavy screeching of rubber toed heels deadpanned, and the professor felt his eyes loosen from their vice-like frown. He rubbed his temples again.

_Perhaps the kid had exited through the center doors_, he thought. He was certain the footsteps had halted in the vicinity of his room, but he also knew that he was nearing 70 years of age. His ears had gotten a lot fuzzier over the years, and he rubbed a finger in one. The disappointment of not being able to stare-down a student weighed on his elderly heart, and he reached down towards his pamphlet. His fingers found the spine and his thumb gently pecked at the tattered corners when—

"Surprise!"

The professor leapt from his seat with such a force that his textbooks and papers careened into the air, and his glasses took flight from his flushed nose. His hands quickly dodged out to catch them, fumbling a few times before finally crushing them to his chest, and he breathed deeply as the remaining floating documents sifted to the floor. From the doorway, a student laughed uncontrollably.

"Man, Sarutobi. You're too old to concentrate so hard!"

The professor shook his head while reapplying his glasses and began to pick up his scattered work. "Naruto, you're going to be the death of me."

The boy had already begun to help with the mess when Sarutobi stood up, a distinct _crackle_ echoing as his back settled into a standing position. The student named Naruto clicked his tongue. "You should really get that checked out."

The professor shook his head. "It's students like you that make my hair turn gray."

Naruto slid onto an empty lecture desk and laughed. "What hair?"

He slid a backpack from his shoulder onto the blacktop table and began to unload a collection of books and spiral notebooks. Sarutobi slid back into his comfy rolling chair and raised an eyebrow at the boy. Like most people in relationship to his expressions, Naruto failed to notice.

"Why are you here, Naruto?"

The boy turned and rolled his eyes. "Do you really have to ask?"

Sarutobi admired the boy for a moment, and took in his appearance. His hair was ruffled and unkept, and his cheeks were flushed from his earlier exertion. He was wearing a black shirt with CU plastered on the front, and a pair of loose jeans, and also come worn down tennis shoes. He was a brilliant young boy, and attractive too. Sarutobi still failed to see why his young student wasn't at Folsom Field with his friends, celebrating what was sure to be a CU victory.

"Don't tell me you're here to keep an old man company?"

The boy pulled out a mechanical pencil and clicked it into action. His gaze met the professor's, and he smiled with tandem.

"The more time you spend in here the more you look like that tree," Naruto gestured towards the decrepit oak, now barely lit by a nearby street lamp. "Besides, Sakura's going to be out with the girls tonight, and football's not really my thing."

Sarutobi chuckled and found his tiny pamphlet. The latter of Naruto's statement was a complete lie, but Sarutobi had an esteem for the boy that he couldn't quite pin. His hands met the leather bound cover of his pamphlet and he set it in his lap returning to rummage through the mess for his journal. Naruto dragged a chair to his side and settled into it, revealing a small spiral notebook. He flipped open to a page and waited for Sarutobi to unearth his booklet. When he did, Naruto spoke.

"So what's new on the agenda? Found any leads?"

Sarutobi shook his head and crossed his legs. He let out a sigh and coughed.

"We reversed the osmosis and brought them back from preservation, but after examining the cryoprotectants we realized that a severe amount of damage had been done to their cells."

"These are the fruit flies, right?" Naruto waited for the older man to nod and sighed. "So we're back to square one."

The student's eyes tilted upward in thought, and the crumpled elder stumbled to his feet. "It's always a problem with vitrification! If the subject isn't gaseous, it gets damaged."

"Maybe if the temperature wasn't quite as low—"

"It _has_ to be that low—"

"—we could find something resistant to becoming amorphous ice—"

"Impossible. Nothing is immune to such a fast drop in temperature—"

"—maybe if we did a slower drop in temperature—"

"Naruto."

The boy sighed. "Yeah, I know. It would cause even more damage to the cells."

There was a long pause before Naruto spoke. "Sometimes I think you like to have me here to argue with."

The professor released a smug smile. "I didn't ask you to come tonight."

Naruto bent over the desk, burying his head in his arms. He closed his eyes. Cryonics had always been a minute fascination for him, and he could never place why. He was an awkward type of student, able to balance his social life and his intelligence at the same time, even if his grades didn't always reflect it. Sarutobi had once called him a 'hidden genius', merely because his aptitude outside of written tests far surpassed other students. He was brilliant, and Sarutobi was never more eager to take note on his formulations. And with a revolution about to take way in cryogenics, it was the perfect opportunity for Naruto's knowledge to become an active part of his education.

"Haven't you been learning anything at NIST?" Sarutobi asked. Naruto laughed.

"When I'm not getting them coffee, I'm making excel sheets. I'd do better learning for myself."

Sarutobi sighed and began to pace the room. "Well, throw out some more ideas."

Naruto settled back into his chair and crossed his legs over Sarutobi's desk. A loud rush of commotion could be heard from outside, and Naruto peeked out the window, forgetting that he couldn't see Folsom through it.

"Sounds like we won," he commented. "Even the tree's shaking a little."

Sarutobi sighed. "I thought the game had another hour."

Naruto shrugged. "I think it started earlier tonight…What, you got a date?"

Sarutobi had begun to pack up his belongings, and readjusted his glasses which had fallen to the crest of his nose yet again. The old man chuckled and shook his head.

"Heaven help me if I get caught up in a gaggle of drunken co-eds."

Naruto sighed. "But I just got here."

The older man looked forlorn. "I'm old Naruto. Besides, my lecture conference with NIST is tomorrow. You're expected to be there."

"Noted." Naruto chucked his books into the mouth of his backpack and stretched before pulling it over his shoulder. The professor continued to speak.

"And come with some ideas. I'm sure your intern manager would like to see that you've actually learned something there."

Naruto shook his head and grinned. "Right. I won't let anyone down."

Sarutobi was prepared to leave at the head of the classroom as Naruto pulled his back pack over his shoulders. He ran a hand through his hair and approached as the professor turned off the lights.

"And Naruto," he spoke as he began to hobble down the hallway, "please go celebrate with your friends."

Naruto smiled as the man disappeared out of the door and turned to leave through the back entrance. Sarutobi could always see through him, even with events as menial as football games. But for CU, homecoming was to students as prom was to high school. The only factor that had led the boy to seek the Professor's knowledge on this particular night was that their competitor was Ohio State and not CSU. If the Fort Collins school had been present, he wouldn't have been able to escape the game, not even with his own willpower. He sighed.

The real truth of the matter is that he hadn't prepared an essay for the lecture at NIST, simply because he was stumped. Each of the interns was to produce a thesis on how to avoid thermonuclear damage to the occupants of cryonic preservation, and Naruto had lost sleep over the topic. Thousands of scientists worked everyday to discover the answer to this question, and it seemed only natural that they would leek the information from students. It was free and informative, two words adults loved to hear.

Naruto skipped passed Farren Field, the sounds of returning students beginning to cut through the crisp silence of the Colorado mountains. The gentle pines hummed as a soft breeze whistled past, and Naruto took a deep breath. He decided to take the old man's advice. After all, he hadn't seen Sakura for a couple of days, and he felt a little guilty. One night out of his junior year wouldn't hurt—he owed his fiancée at least that much.

* * *

Sarutobi pulled at his tie, revealing a strained vein in his neck. He had never been one for suits, especially because they added more stress to his already notorious anxiety. On top of the fact his presentation was next, he hadn't seen Naruto once through the course of the morning, and he briefly wondered if the boy had overslept. It didn't affect him much, but it would affect the student's internship if he decided not to show. More than that, the old man simply wanted someone to wish him luck. It wasn't easy being 70 years old and still in research development, with hundreds of other hungry eyes expecting a solution to an impossible question. He peered down to his crumpled outline and then to his PDA disc. He shook his head. His research wasn't near complete. 

A surge of applause initiated his arrival on the stage, and he straightened his tie as he approached the podium. The room quieted and he wiped a few beads of sweat from his furrowing brow. The lights were blinding, and they made his eyes feel like ants under the magnifying glasses of his spectacles. He blinked and shuffled through his papers.

Someone coughed.

"Well," he attempted to make eye contact with the audience but the lights interjected. "For starters, can someone please fix the lighting?"

Someone else coughed, and a groan was projected from the upper balconies. The light dimmed and Sarutobi allowed his eyes to relax. He sighed and shuffled through his papers again.

When his lips parted, his voice was hoarse.

"My name is Sarutobi Mizami, and I'm not entirely sure what you all would like to hear—"

From behind him, there was a disturbance, and in moments a blur of blonde caught his attention. Naruto had arrived and was causing some sort of ordeal backstage. Sarutobi felt his nerves clench up again. It was bad enough he had nothing to talk about, but being constantly interrupted wasn't going to make him appear intelligent. He would be lucky if he left with the audience thinking that he was senile.

Naruto approached him, however, and Sarutobi took in the boy's appearance. He was utterly disheveled, but his eyes were focused. It was a look Sarutobi rarely witnessed, and he held his hand to the audience in a 'please wait a moment' fashion.

"Naruto, what is going on?" His voice was low and hushed, and Naruto grinned.

"Trust me."

Naruto pulled Sarutobi's hand down and bowed to the audience in an attempt for comedic relief. The audience had become somewhat restless and Naruto immediately began speaking.

"I'm sorry for the delay. My professor has been waiting for me to arrive because our speech is one in the same. Together we have come up with a solution for the problems regarding vitrification in the cells of mammals in the process of cryopreservation."

Sarutobi gave Naruto a wry look, confused as to what was going on but decided to let Naruto continue. Naruto took the podium.

"All of us as scientists are aware that the preservation process needed for humans is much more intricate and delicate than that needed for smaller species, such as fruit flies which we have been testing. The problem lies within being able to preserve tissue without retaining any damage over a long period of time in temperatures that only liquid nitrogen could withstand."

Naruto paused and fumbled through Sarutobi's papers. He held one up and read it closely. He set it down and continued. "It is my theory that the answer to this has been in front of us the entire time. We have merely looked past it. We should look at cryogenics the same way we view the common MRI scan."

There was a rustle in the audience and even the professor looked alerted. Naruto continued. "In order to receive visual aids from the scans we use a fluorescent orthogonal gradient so that we can see a clear picture. This prevents the patient from being affected by the radioactive effects of the machine. In other words, it acts as a deterrent."

Sarutobi felt his mind reel. He understood exactly where Naruto was going, and it was gold. It was the way he had been looking for, and Naruto had discovered it. He felt a smile overwhelm his face. Naruto continued talking as whispers began to fill the room.

"I believe the active ingredient used in the MRI gradient, when combined with carbon dioxide, can be used to create an active preservative for cryogenic stasis. The gradient would act as a tissue preservative and the carbon dioxide would enable vitrification as we know it."

The room erupted into commotion, and Naruto took a deep breath. Sarutobi hugged him. "Naruto—How!?"

The boy shook his head. "After a few drinks it sort of…just came to me."

Sarutobi was at a loss for words as scientists began to clamber onto the stage. "Why did you say it was _our_ thesis?" The older man asked.

Naruto smiled. "As a student, I can't claim any rights to the profit. However, I know that you would share it with me as my partner, and as a professor of research."

Sarutobi wasn't entirely sure what to say. The questions came like a raging river, and Naruto let Sarutobi answer them. He had a hangover, and at the moment, a million dollar deal in the making.

* * *

It was nearly nightfall when the hall settled into a husky silence, and Naruto, who had been rather shy in the diplomacy of his suggestion, was waiting for the last few bystanders to vanish through the bulging metal doors of the auditorium. He silently wondered how long the remaining guests intended to converse with his professor, and he felt the slight urge to shoo them and their irritating hypothesis out into the crisp autumn evening. His professor looked winded, and it was obvious to anyone that the poor old man was exhausted both physically and mentally from the strain of the day. The natural folds in his aged face had become terse, and his glasses had long been removed, and a flush was beginning to accentuate the perspiration forming at the heels of his nostrils. When one of the remaining women opened her mouth to ask another question, Naruto stood from his tin chair in the audience, wincing slightly at the high pitched noise it exhumed. Holding up his hand, he spoke loudly. 

"I think we've all had enough questions for the day," he commented dryly. Sarutobi gave him a withered look of relief, and the women, a short and bulky being, blinked compulsively. Her small lips curled into an awkward frown and she sighed deeply. Her voice was sharp when she spoke.

"For being one of the discoverers of this revelation, you seem awfully timid about answering questions." Her voice was oddly accusing.

Naruto, a college student with a great deal of experience in shrugging off teachers, smiled genuinely. He disliked people who were disrespectful, and at the moment, this woman was irritating him.

"Well, for being a professional you seem awfully forceful." Naruto caught an abusive eye from Sarutobi and shrugged. The woman's eyes narrowed.

"We're all exhausted ma'am. I'm sure there will be another time and place for your arguments involving our theory. Until then, I think it's best we call it a night."

Naruto didn't wait for the woman's reply as he pulled himself onto the stage, muscles from high school lacrosse brimming through the crumpled overlay of a baby blue collared shirt. He had lost his tie early into the day and had unbuttoned the top button, and a slight tickle on his neck hinted that the woman was taking in his unkept appearance. His mind was tired though, and he took a steady pace towards his professor who was currently saying his farewells. The woman was a member of the disheartened crowd that sifted slowly from the humid auditorium to the back exit of the parking lot, and Naruto smiled softly, using the last of his energy to hide his weary composure. Sarutobi sighed deeply and revealed a pair of sunglasses from his chest pocket, wiping them fastidiously on a fold of his shirt that had become untucked. After he placed them on the high point of his nose, he shook his head.

"You're a genius. And because of it, I'm probably going to have a heart attack."

The old man found his way to a fold out chair and slouched into it. Between the wrinkled on his skin and clothing, he reminded Naruto of a crumpled piece of paper. Naruto found a chair and pulled it closer to the older man.

"It was a good idea, though." The words were ejected with nonchalance, and Sarutobi snorted.

"It was _the_ idea, Naruto."

Naruto shifted. "I don't know about that. There are a lot of kinks. For instance, there's no way either of those substances could protect against thermonuclear stasis. If anyone or anything was frozen, they would definitely have brain problems."

The older man knelt forward, twisting his thumbs vicariously, his eyes focused in on nothing in particular on the ground. He was in deep thought, and Naruto could sense it. It was a glare that he had seen on many a class period, and one that he always was forced to jest.

"You shouldn't think so hard, buddy." He reached forward and gave the man a pat on the shoulder, receiving a gentle smirk in response. The old man sat back and took on a more serious face. When he spoke, his words were short and articulate—enough to inform Naruto that he was completely serious.

"Though there are a few things that could use adjustment, you've discovered something that could change lives. Not only that—it could alter the future. I'm sure you've noticed the magnitude by the reaction in this room…and that's only a small portion of the scientific world. Things are going to change for you Naruto."

Naruto shifted somewhat uncomfortably. He knew that his idea was a bit brilliant for a college student with average grades, but the uproar it had caused had taken him a bit by surprise. He had figured that idea would get a rise out of the scientific community, but to hear such strong words from his professor put a weight on his shoulders. What kind of pandora's box had he opened?

"You're exceptionally skilled Naruto, at everything that you do. You're grades don't reflect it, but you retain all of the information you accumulate better than any other student I've taught. Why do you think I asked you to help me research this topic personally?"

Naruto let out an anxious laugh as the professor continued.

"You have an aptitude for science, Naruto. I've already had three offers today to publicize a research campaign regarding your theory, all of which placing you and I as direct benefactors of the results."

Naruto's eyes rose to meet the dimmed expression on the older man's. His heart thumped hard in his chest, and he felt his mind becoming claustrophobic. Too much was happening at once. He needed time to think about the entire situation. After all, he was only a junior in college. Sarutobi's expression relaxed and it was apparent to Naruto that the old man had picked up on his discomfort.

"I'm not saying to make any decisions now. What you need to do it write a professional thesis and hypothesis for your theory. Bring it to me, and we'll fix it up. Take that time to figure out what you want to do, and how you want to do it. In the meantime, I've already begun speaking with a friend of mine who will begin to organize a group of researchers. I…"

Naruto peered up at the Sarutobi's hesitation, and the elder knelt forward, his eyes brimming. "I really want to test your theory myself—before anyone else. I'm old, and if I leave it in someone else's hands…I may never see the result."

Naruto felt praised, but the anticipation was collecting in his gut. For the first time in a great deal of minutes, he spoke. "I guess this is a little overwhelming for me."

Sarutobi laughed, a distinct chuckle Naruto had never heard before. The old man slapped his leg. "Of course it is! If you move forward with it, you'll be the youngest benefactor in the world!"

Naruto felt a small grin curl onto his lips and he ran a hand through his tussled hair. He stretched his arms.

"Alright. I need some time to think, but I'll definitely write up a thesis. In the meantime, where are you going to be experimenting?"

The old man's eyes narrowed and his voice became low. "I trust you're not going to let any of this conversation leave the room, correct?"

Naruto nodded, fully aware that the professor's actions were completely illegal. He listened closely.

"The old building out past Cristol Hall. It used to be a science dorm…but it's the perfect place. The structure's so old it's got a massive generator—strong enough to power even one of the governments cryochambers."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Sarutobi, just who are you planning on experimenting on?"

The old man laughed coarsely. "I've always wanted to go to the future."

Naruto tickled a hem in his pants.

His life would never be the same.

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A/N--> YaY! First chapter successfully edited. 

NIST--> National Institute for Standards and Technology (located in Boulder, CO)

Original Notes:

First off, I would like to explain that I myself to not attend CU or CSU, so I have no bias for either of the schools. For readers who aren't from CO, I'm disclaiming this because they have an intense rivalry that a lil' ol' art student like me doesn't dare dispute. My roomie, however, did attend CU for a couple years and I decided to use her knowledge to my advantage, especially considering that NIST is located in Boulder.

Secondly, I am not a science major, so some of my well researched facts and terms may be a little off, or embellished for the sake of the story. I draw, people. And write. And eat, too.


	2. Chance of a Lifetime

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised Edition.

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**Chapter 2:**

Naruto browsed the paper in his hand fervently, his eyes carefully examining each word he had placed within, a scrutiny only a perfectionist like himself would exert. After reading it for the tenth time, it sounded fairly decent. At least for a rough draft.

Sarutobi had promised to help him adjust the parameters, ensuring that any extension from his original idea could not be claimed by another benefactor. It was a difficult task, because every word was terribly important. He set the papers down, facing them downward in an awkward movement. He had never been paranoid before, but a feeling had been welling within him—as if people were constantly watching him.

It was an odd mood, especially for the blond haired optimist, considering word of his discovery hadn't quite made the reach to his campus. He preferred it that way though, simply because paranoia was beginning to consume him.

He peered up from his island table, taking a deep breath as his instructor's voice echoed through the massive classroom, tiny speakers reiterating his intellectual comments. English had never been a forte of his, and his grades constantly reflected his dislike for the course. He couldn't bring himself to focus on a normal day, and today, with a 20 page thesis nearly glued to his hands, the chances of him learning anything were nearly dismal. He eyed the clock and felt his fingers tighten around his papers. Nearly minutes left before dismissal.

His sight wandered to the tinted windows of the class, and Naruto admired the welcoming atmosphere the outdoors offered. It was a beautiful day, autumn trees blanketing the campus with passive colors, and the sun was beating vibrantly in a distant blue sky. The class ended as his sight drifted downward towards the bike racks outside of the building, and he smiled. Sakura was waiting for him, and he noticed with even more satisfaction that his closest friend, Kiba, was waiting with her. He quickly gathered his belongings, gently placing his thesis into his black book bag, and rushed through the crowd of exiting students. As soon as he neared the outer doors, he let out a grin.

"Awe. It's like I've got my own support group."

Sakura was the first to laugh, her bubbly nature instantly effective. Kiba was grinning like a puppy.

"Well, you've avoided me every day this week in order to write the thing." Her voice was sarcastic, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a gentle kiss on the lips. He pecked her in return.

"Man, I feel left out." Kiba noted. The trio began to walk away from the English hall, and towards Porter Hall. "Not only are you engaged, you're going to be a millionaire. Where do I fit in?"

Naruto patted his friend on the back. "You're better at science than I am, man. I'm sure you'll fit in fine." The comment was the truth. If there was ever someone that Naruto was equally matched with concerning intelligence, it was Kiba. It was a fluke that Naruto had managed to catch Sarutobi's eye, and even though Kiba jested with the thought, Naruto was careful with his words. Kiba was competitive by nature, and he didn't want to upset the gentle balance they had survived on for eight years.

Sakura was Naruto's inner voice though, and she spoke with a blunt accuracy that couldn't be compared. "Maybe Naruto will hire you, huh?"

Kiba growled and Naruto put his hands up in self defense. "I have no idea where this decision will take me. I'm just lucky to have you both here to keep me tied down."

Kiba slapped him on the back and Naruto coughed. "Damn straight!"

Sakura laughed and Naruto realized that they had already reached Porter. He turned and sighed. "Hey, look. You two mean a lot to me."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and flashed her ring at him. "Well, I hope so." Naruto pushed her hand down and kissed her forehead. Kiba laughed.

"No, I mean it. That's why…that's why I want to be honest with you."

This drew in their attention and Sakura's eyes narrowed. "Well, out with it."

Naruto pulled them in close. "Look…even though I just wrote the thesis, there has already been some…_experimentation_…involving my idea."

Kiba nearly choked. "What? That's illegal, man—" Sakura shushed him.

Naruto nodded to her in thanks. "I guess they've already managed to build enough for the first real test. And when I say that…I mean they've already froze…_something_."

Sakura looked intrigued, and Kiba leaned in, his eyes narrowed. Naruto could sense the other boy's disapproval. Naruto shook his head. "I know it's not right, but that's why I wanted to be honest."

Kiba let out a sigh and waved his hand, signaling for Naruto to continue. Naruto did. "It's been about three months since they froze Jinx—a cat—and tonight, he's coming out. It's the perfect opportunity, because not only can we view the results but we can shape the thesis around them."

Kiba's eyes widened, and Sakura grinned. "Clever."

Kiba shook his head. "Naruto…this is a bad idea. It's too much for one college student and CU's senior citizen of science to handle."

Naruto nodded. "I know, but hopefully tonight with work out according to plan and we can just submit the paperwork. To be honest, I'm following Sarutobi on this one."

"Naruto," Kiba said seriously, "You should make me a partner on this. That way, if there is ever any kind of problem, my dad can take care of it."

Kiba's father was a well known lawyer, and a damn good one at that. The idea had crossed Naruto's mind several times, but he had been reluctant to turn it down. "It's not that I don't want to, Kiba, it's that…it would be even more suspicious if Sarutobi and I added on a third benefactor this late in the game. We're already being watched like hawks. Did I tell you that the FBI is spying on us? It's really weird."

Kiba snorted. "You really should make me your partner."

Sakura ran her hand up Kiba's arm, a movement that caught Naruto off guard. It seemed very, _intimate._ But Sakura had always been a physical person. He let the feeling slide.

"Kiba, don't worry. I'm sure Sarutobi will put them right where they need to be to earn the most off of this project."

Kiba rolled his eyes. "You realize that if that old man dies you're entitled to nothing right? So if he kicks it before you've graduated, even if you're a benefactor you have limited rights?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know."

There was a short pause and Naruto spoke up. "Look, there are always loopholes and I'm sure we could find one if something happened to Sarutobi. Hell, I bet even if something happened to him and then me, you two could even find a way to stake a claim on it."

There was a short pause before Sakura lightly punched his shoulder. "You're silly." She said.

Kiba put his hands in his pockets and rolled his eyes. "I don't know what to say."

Naruto was disappointed. "I thought you'd be happy."

Kiba shook his head. "For how smart you are, I just don't think you've really thought this out."

Kiba's words stung, but Naruto just took a deep breath. The sun was becoming hot, and his long sleeve tunic was beginning to feel irritating. Sakura was eagerly glancing between the two, a complex look of uncertainty on her face. She shook her head.

"Look, let's not be this way. If it is dangerous, Kiba, we should be as supportive as possible…Naruto is in this for all of us, you know?"

Kiba glanced at Sakura and a small amount of his tension passed. Naruto noticed and held his hand out to Kiba. who took it, and the two of them bumped shoulders.

"I wouldn't be where I am without you, man. That's why I need your advice…and your support."

Kiba shrugged. "Well, next time ask _before_ you make illegal decisions."

Naruto nodded and scratched his ear. "Well, I better go."

Sakura kissed him and waved her fingers in a goodbye fashion, grabbing Kiba's hand. Sometimes Naruto wondered if people thought that they were engaged instead of him. They had all become extremely close in high school, so it was normal for them all to share a certain intimacy—though sometimes, Naruto wondered just what separated his relationship with Sakura from Kiba's.

He watched as the two disappeared behind Inverness and he strode towards Porter, turning quickly onto a side path that led to Cristol Hall. He took a slight detour before crossing through a pedestrian alley, pulling his backpack close. The feeling of paranoia had returned as he neared the building Sarutobi was waiting in.

The old building the professor had referred to was more formerly known as Konoha Hall, an old Japanese term that gave credit to the fact it was surrounded by tortuous trees that were constantly shedding leaves, even in the summer. The building itself was draped in vines and crumbling spring flowers, and if not for the gentle hum of the Edison Generator one would have doubted any sort of internal life. Naruto crept to the sidelong doors and entered cautiously, careful that no other students were eyeing him. He felt a bit like a ninja on the days that he slinked into the building, but he had quickly laughed away the thought when he decided that ninjas weren't nearly as paranoid as he.

Though the outside of the building seemed decrepit in its own light, the inside was stark in difference. Ever since Sarutobi's miniature group of rebels had occupied the stony structure, the inside had been cleaned into an area fit for medical research. Naruto always felt out of place entering and even more out of place when he was the only one not wearing a lab coat. Today was a different sort of occasion, and he was content to watch. In all actuality, he was completely excited. This experiment would spell out his future.

He entered what had once been a one level lecture hall, now completely transformed into a cryonic chamber, with one machine Naruto could only describe as a pod smack dab in the center. It was a hefty tank of metal with a slim window near the top, the entire contraption large enough to hold two human bodies.

That fact was amusing to Naruto, especially considering that through the tiny window showed two beady cat eyes. Naruto chucked his backpack onto a rolling chair and waved at Sarutobi who looked back with giddy excitement. Next to him, another scientist waved. Naruto smiled in return towards the woman, a blonde with too many curves to hint at her scientific career. Naruto had been introduced to her almost immediately after the project had begun, and much to his amazement, she was the only one of the ten researchers aside from Sarutobi that he knew.

"So Tsunade, when are we breakin' the cat out?"

The older woman laughed suddenly, and rolled her eyes. "Is it impossible for you to be patient?"

Sarutobi approached the duo and entwined his hands, making them pop. Naruto flinched. "You really should get that looked at."

The old man shrugged him off. "I'm assuming you have the thesis?"

Naruto nodded and Sarutobi looked less relieved that the blond had imagined. As the other scientists shuffled around the room Naruto took the papers from his bag and handed them to his professor.

"I have another copy at my dorm and a digital copy, too."

Sarutobi tapped the papers on a nearby table in an effort to straighten them and skimmed the word document briefly before nodding.

"Perfect. Naruto—your thesis is perfect. Everything we've ever imagined is possible."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and quirked his lip at Sarutobi's comment.

"We haven't even tested it yet, Sarutobi."

The older man smirked and it was suspiciously playful. From behind him, Tsunade spoke. "We're ready over here."

The old man grinned and turned away from Naruto, anxious to get to the cryo-chamber. "Perfect. Let's get Mr. Jinx out of hibernation."

Though the action seemed easy enough, the process of withdrawing the cat took nearly an hour. Naruto had paced around the room several times in the process, and finally, after boredom was replaced with exhaustion, he found himself crunched in a rolling chair, watching intently as the small feline was extracted from the machine.

The cryonic chamber, which Sarutobi had come to call the Sleeper, had been thawing the small animal for a few days, and when the cat finally emerged, Naruto felt a jolt. There was movement.

In one quick movement he was on his feet, finding a small niche between the scientists where he could view the tiny calico. There was a hushed excitement that filled the room and Naruto realized why. The cat was awake, blinking, ears twitching, and tail moving. Naruto grinned.

"Alright, alright. There are still some other tests." Sarutobi set the cat on the ground, and allowed it to steady itself. Naruto looked towards Sarutobi wondering what test he was conducting. The old man put an arm around his shoulder.

"We fed him at five every evening before putting him in. He should go to his food dish now, since it is nearly five."

But the cat wandered around aimlessly, meowing. Naruto shook his head. His suspicions had been correct. "It's got to be the thermonuclear stasis…Memory loss."

Tsunade nodded. "Yeah…this goes a little deeper though. Not only does he not remember where his food is, he's completely lost the instinct to eat it at five o'clock."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and sighed. "I'm not sure what could fix that."

The professor shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You go ahead and head on home…We'll figure out how to adjust the thesis."

Naruto nodded, feeling extremely proud of his discovery. He knew the brain would be the hardest thing to protect…but it was enough that his idea had succeeded. And it was enough to earn him the opportunity to be a benefactor for science. He felt his insides swell and he handed his thesis to the professor. It was as if he had a mini research team at his disposal, working for his ideas. He smiled.

"I'm going to take off then," He said, but everyone had returned to their observation of Jinx. He shook his head and left the building, anxious to get back to his apartment.

* * *

Naruto entered the parking lot of his complex with a swift left turn, his head lights immediately discovering an empty parking spot directly in front of his home. He swiveled in, a small smile creeping onto his lips. Sakura's car was parked next to his, and he had the sneaking suspicion that something was not right. He glanced around the parking lot, eagerly taking in how many cars were there for a Saturday night. He clambered out of his car and felt a small thrill run through him. He prepared himself as he twisted the knob to his door.

"Surprise!"

Naruto jumped backwards in surprise as the crowded room exploded with people, all wearing pointed hats and toting kazoos. Naruto laughed and Sakura emerged and hugged him.

"Congratulations, babe." She kissed him softly and released him, shoving him off into the party, which had started long before his arrival. "I never did get to properly congratulate you!"

Speech was already slurred, and Naruto sought out the only other person that could have been a part of the plot.

"Yo, Kiba!" Naruto waded past friends and people he didn't even know to his closest friend and they clamped hands together. "Thanks, man."

Kiba laughed. "Anything for my friend the millionaire." Music started and Sakura found her way under his arm. "Can you believe we haven't even graduated college and we're all rich?"

Kiba shook his head and handed Naruto a drink from the bar table. Naruto drank it eagerly. "Yeah. The cat came out fine. We're definitely going to be rich."

Sakura's grip around him tightened, and Naruto looked over the party. Everyone he had ever known—and not known—was there. It was perfect. He hadn't intended to discover something so vital, but for some reason he had. And he was going to use every last dime making Sakura happy, and Kiba content. They were his closest friends, after all.

The room seemed to get heavy, and Naruto smelled liquor. He smelled sweat, too, and his nose wrinkled. He searched for the source. As his eyes searched his vision became blurry. He held Sakura tighter and looked down towards her. She was smiling—and so was Kiba.

"Hey, I'm…not…" Naruto felt himself fall to the ground, and no one seemed to notice. The music was too loud and there were too many people. He felt claustrophobic.

He blinked, blurry images filling his mind. Sakura and Kiba were hunched over him, both smiling. Neither looked concerned.

And Kiba's arm was on Sakura's shoulder.

_Odd_, he thought.

Sakura ran a hand through his hair and the music dimmed. "Goodnight Naruto."

Naruto heard the words but they didn't match up with her mouth. His eyes faded shut. He could have sworn she had said goodbye.

* * *

A/N-- ::Phew:: This one was a tricky re-edit.

I wonder if any of my scouting reviewers can pick out what I've changed?

It's not much, but very important minor details.

Onward to chapter three!


	3. A Place Unknown

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating**: M

**Comments:** Revised Edition!

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

Cold.

An _unbearable_ cold.

The frosty intake of air he was painfully managing was all that he could focus on. He breathed.

He winced.

Every breath felt like fire was rushing to his insides. His lips trembled as moisture gathered at the corners of his eyes, gently trailing down his cheeks as he forced in another rush of air. His lungs stung and he wanted to cough. For some reason, he couldn't.

A panic was beginning to overwhelm him, and he attempted to open his eyes. The motion was familiar. As soon as that familiar tickle brushed his vision, light would come in and he would be able to see. He repeated the motion. He felt the tickle, but no light entered his eyes. His breathing came forth in gasps, and he clenched his fists.

_Focus. _

He slowed his heaving and closed his eyes. He needed to take in the situation.

As he calmed down, more details about his situation became apparent to him. He was standing. It was awkward because he felt as though he had been taking a long nap, but an aching cramp in his foot told him otherwise.

The second detail that revealed itself was the atmosphere of his location. His skin was clammy, and the air around him was warm. That was odd though, considering it pained him to breath.

_Like I'm breathing in ice_, he thought.

He attempted to move forward and felt his body peel away from whatever surface he was leaning against. It was gross. His muscles ached and he felt as if he were prying himself from flypaper. He let his hands wander into the vast emptiness before him, surprised when they encountered resistance. He let his hands examine the area, brushing gently across the surface, before pushing with trepidation against what he imagined to be a metallic doorway. A groan came in response.

His body was beginning to feel familiar again, and his chest was starting to rise and fall normally. He managed to push a foot forward.

_Where am I?_

He pushed against the doorway with the little strength he felt, and was disappointed when it didn't budge. He pushed again. No effect.

Naruto felt his heartbeat begin to race as his hands sifted across the entirety of the metallic surface, his breath catching as he realized that it was tubular. He was _in _something.

He needed to get _out_.

The first instinct that racked Naruto's mind was to knock his way out. He slammed against the contraption with such a force that he felt it wobble in return, and in a quick moment, plowed himself into it again. The shell seemed to have reached an awkward balance, and Naruto breathed deeply. It would only take one more shove to knock it over.

He braced his shoulder, and rammed into the metallic surface, gripping the sides of the contraption as he did so. He searched for something to hold onto so that gravity wouldn't crush him to the ground, and was disappointed when his fingers found nothing. He collapsed with the tube onto a hard surface. There was a breaking of glass. His fingers scrambled to find it.

He felt air rushing at him. Cold air. Like a breeze from a cracked window of a car that's moving too quickly on the road. His hands found the source, and his eyes began to adjust. A blur of color illuminated the dry bulbs of his vision, and he scraped his hands eagerly over the broken glass in front of him. He pulled and more broke off. His fingers were clumsy with haste.

His vision was a mess of color, and he felt like a blind man in a cave, working as diligently as possible to reach the wavering light. His heart was racing, pounding against his chest. He was so close to escaping that it sent a surge of adrenaline through his body. He kicked out the glass at his feet and stumbled forward, his clammy skin met with an icy rush of air. He fell to his knees and pulled his arms in close.

The aching feeling from his throat returned and he coughed, heaving over what appeared to be cement; an unfamiliar liquid splattering onto the floor below him. He braced his body against the ground and felt his eyes begin to water, and he sniffled in a trail of snot from his nose. He focused his attention on eliminating his coughing fit, and ran his wrist across his lips, wiping away the sticky liquid. He took deep breathes, and allowed his eyes to come into focus. It seemed like hours before he could make out his surroundings.

He was in a basement and the impressive light he had been attracted to was nothing more than a stilted lamp, flickering on and off with a silent impatience. Naruto looked own at his hands, wondering why they felt so clammy, and was surprised to see that they were wrinkled and pruny, as if he had been underwater. He shook his head and sat backwards, hissing as his butt hit the concrete. He examined his clothes. They were completely dry…

_The party._

Naruto nearly jumped to his feet, the sudden rush causing a miniature blackout to fade his vision. He grabbed the wall of the room and inhaled, waiting for the uncomfortable feeling to pass. He felt weak.

He had been at his party. There was a celebration for him. He had done something amazing…though he couldn't remember what. Sakura had been there, and Kiba too. But…that's all that he could remember.

His eyes sought out an exit from the small room which was littered in dust and debris, and they became fixed on a staircase. Naruto edged forward. Walking seemed foreign.

Maybe he was having a hangover?

He had had several hangovers before, and had almost always ended up in some sort of trouble. Maybe he had wandered to someone's basement and just…fallen asleep. He nodded in an attempt to convince himself. That was the only explanation he could come up with.

He stumbled up the stairs, focusing hard on what he was doing. It took a great amount of effort for him to lift his legs, and the strain it took to pull his body upward caused him to groan. He shook his head. "What…did I drink?"

His voice sounded coarse. It was raspy and thick and he had the urge to cough again.

As he neared the top of the stairs he pulled a doorknob and the door collapsed forward. He raised an eyebrow and balanced himself against the frame. The scene in front of him caused him to stop in his tracks.

Apparently the basement had been a house and it had been seated almost directly in front of a highway--he was positive he had seen in a Star Wars movie. It was a couple hundred miles away, but the thrilling flashes of vehicles caught his attention and held it. The sky was a brilliant shade of orange, and he contemplated whether it was sunrise or sundown. He shrugged. His theory about a hangover had just become slightly more complicated.

Unless he was _still_ drunk.

He fumbled forward onto a sidewalk and collapsed to his knees, the exertion of stair climbing overwhelming him. It was only then did he realize how populated the sidewalk was. People of all shapes and sizes were stumbling around him, dressed in outfits Naruto could only begin to describe as costumes. He blinked.

"Where am I?" His voice was soft, and no one seemed to hear it. He tried to stand, but his legs kept him planted on the sidewalk. A woman walked by and snorted.

"You're blocking traffic, sweet pea."

Naruto shook his head. He couldn't help it. At the moment he was completely delusional and immobile. A man stopped in front of him and held out a hand. Naruto looked up cautiously. The man smiled, and Naruto felt his mind give up. He had no idea what was going on, but if it was a dream, he may as well go with it. He held his hand out and the other man lifted him to his feet. Naruto's legs wobbled and the man pulled him close, sending Naruto's face into his overly cologned chest. Naruto bit back a sneeze. He felt awkward.

Naruto worked hard to steady his feet, and immediately froze. The man's hand had just drifted dangerously close to his rear. He pushed the man away and stumbled backwards against a brick wall. The male raised an eyebrow.

"Where am I?" Naruto asked, his voice sounding uncertain. He could tell that he looked strange in the eyes of these new people, but he wasn't ready to figure out the puzzle for himself.

The man laughed. "Denver. Inland."

Naruto frowned. Inland? What the hell did that mean? Denver _was_ inland.

The man stepped closer to him. "You don't look to good, babe."

Naruto felt the hairs on his neck go rigid. Had the man just referred to him as 'babe'? It was only now that Naruto took in the man's appearance. He was tall—much taller than Naruto, with dark brown hair and eyes that reminded Naruto of snake eyes. He was dressed rather obscenely, and Naruto did everything in his power to avoid glaring at what the man had revealed on his body.

He looked at the man's face. "I'm sorry, but I think I may be lost. I guess I need to know how to get to Colorado…if this isn't Colorado…" Naruto peered around and felt his mind nod. Yes, definitely _not_ in Colorado.

The man seemed to find this comment amusing and chuckled. It sounded feminine. Naruto snorted. This guy definitely had to be homosexual.

"You're funny, babe. For the right pay, I'll take you _anywhere_ you want to go."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Whoa there," he waved his hands in the air defensively. "I am not gay."

The man let out a vicarious laugh that sent chills up Naruto's spine. As if he were challenging him. Naruto's eyes narrowed. "What? You think I'm lying?"

It wasn't as if Naruto had ever been homophobic, but for some reason, this man was irritating him. He was coming closer, and Naruto was beginning to feel a lump grow in the pit of his stomach. He didn't have the energy to run and he knew his legs would give out. And above that, he didn't even know where he would run to. He scanned the area with desperate eyes, searching for an escape. He took in the fact that most of the people on the street were dressed similar to the man that was about to accost him, and he had an inner revelation. He had to be on Colfax, or at least a subdivision of it. Every state had one street that screamed prostitution, and Naruto would have given his life to bet that he was lost, somewhere by the Sixteenth Street Mall downtown. Although, how he got there, he had no idea, and why there were flying cars zipping around him was another mystery. He cursed.

The man extended an arm to him, running coarse fingers across his cheek. Naruto glared. And as if God had heard him silently praying for exit, another man--a stranger--plucked the fingers from his face. Naruto took in the new face with curiosity.

The young man was about his age with tan skin and narrowed eyes. His hair was soft and long, tied high into a ponytail. He had a series of piercings on his left ear, and his posture was threatening. He glanced at Naruto before smiling.

"I figured you may have gotten lost," he turned to the man and nodded slightly before cold words crept from his lips. "Thank you for looking out or him."

The statement was empty, as all three of the men knew what would have taken place if the tall Asian boy hadn't arrived. Naruto was grateful, but somewhat stalemate. In this new place, he wasn't sure who to trust.

The older man nodded minutely before vanishing into the passing crowd, obviously disappointed. Naruto took in a deep breath and blinked a few times, still trying to take in the situation. After a moment he turned his attention to his rescuer who was staring at him with a condescending frown.

"You should thank me. Though to be honest, if you were stupid enough to come here, you probably deserve whatever he had planned."

Naruto scowled and took a deep breath. He narrowed his eyes. "I don't even know where 'here' is."

The other boy rolled his eyes. "Right. You drunk or something?"

Naruto shrugged and found his eyes wandering to the ground as he tried to remember the party. "I don't…know."

The Asian boy raised an eyebrow and shook his head. He held out his hand. "Come on. You can sober up at my place. But after that, I'm kicking you out."

Naruto shied away from the boy's hand, and he looked offended. "No offense, but the last time I took someone's hand I got felt up."

The boy looked confused. "'Felt up'?"

Naruto slapped the boy's hand away. "Nevermind. Thanks anyway."

He attempted to maneuver away from the boy, using the wall as a brace. God was he tired...more tired than a normal hangover would leave him. His legs bruned and his head was beginning to ache, and he found himself more clambering against the wall then moving forward.

From beside him the Asian boy grumbled, pulling Naruto's arm around his neck and hoisting him into a standing position. Naruto's eyes widened at the sudden movement, and even though his body gave a throb of relief, he wasn't entirely trusting of these strange new people.

"Hey--"

But the boy was already half carrying him. He looked angry. "Right. I'm taking you to my place. You're like a fucking invalid."

Naruto hissed as his legs stumbled along with the boy's quick pace and was grateful that his savior's vehicle was only a few blocks away. When the boy managed to open the door for him, Naruto whistled. "What kind of car is this?"

It was sleek and silver, shaped like a bullet. It was the most attractive car Naruto had ever seen.

"This piece of shit? It's a 30 year old Honda. It's still got another twenty years on it though. Guess I should be grateful."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and hissed as the stranger nearly dropped him in the passenger seat. He felt somewhat claustrophobic when the door closed because the inside was so bare. It was as if he was seated on a couch and the windshield was a movie screen. He felt his legs stiffen as they became inactive.

From beside him, the boy got into the car.

"My name is Shikamaru Nara, by the way."

Naruto gasped as the vehicle started, and felt himself gripping his seat. He felt the engine groan from beneath him and his eyes widened as the car lifted itself from the sidewalk and hovered midair.

"Naruto." He managed.

The car took off, and Naruto closed his eyes. He had never been good with roller coasters, and at the moment, that's what this car felt like to him.

"You're weird as fuck." Naruto heard Shikamaru say.

Naruto grunted as the car took a fast left. He twisted his head in the seat to face the driver. He licked his lips.

"Look, I think something's wrong with me."

The boy looked at him, somewhat bemused. "Obviously. You're afraid of a car ride."

Naruto shook his head. "I've never been in this type of car before…I mean, does it even run on gasoline?"

The Asian boy laughed heartily. "You're joking, right? Gasoline was banned over 70 years ago."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "What?"

Shikamaru must have recognized the serious tone in Naruto's voice because he quieted his laughter. He eyed the boy. Naruto spoke. "This _is_ planet Earth, right?

Shikamaru nodded. Naruto felt something. A burning sensation in his mind. He wasn't in Colorado—hell he wasn't even near his party. Where was the only place he knew flying cars could exist?

"What year is it?"

The boy did a quick right through a low cloud and answered. "3027. Why?"

Naruto felt his mind reel. _3027?_ How could it be possible? His chest felt as though bricks had been stacked on it and his head hurt. The tube...the machine he had been in. It reminded him of something. Something he had only thought of now. It reminded him of Sleeper.

As if at once, his memory reeled into him. The discovery, the party, hell, even Jinx sifted into his mind in a fascinating clutter. He doubled over.

"Oh my God," He was breathing hard. He had never had asthma, but if he did, he imagined that this was the feeling he would have. His head hurt and thoughts were violently spinning through. He remembered passing out, and then nothing. He shivered..

"Hey, hey! You alright?"

Naruto shook his head and buried it in his hands, ruffling his hair. "Oh my God." He repeated. Of course he didn't recognize anything here. Of course nothing was familiar. Of course he was in a flying car.

"Oh my God. I'm in the future."

And with that, whatever brake system Shikamaru's Honda used was pushed into motion, and the car slid to a halt.

* * *

**A/N-- **I had the longest arguement with myself on whether or not 3027 is _too_ far in the future.

And then I thought, _meh._


	4. A Familiar Name

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised Edition

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

"Get out."

Naruto peered up from his crouched position and his features narrowed. The Asian boy was staring at him with harsh disapproval, and he felt a jolt as the thin passenger door besides him jolted open. He supressed a shiver as cold air seeped inside.

"What?" He asked. Shikamaru's change in character was slightly disturbing.

"The future? You're not drunk, you're _crazy_. Get out."

Naruto sat up and his lips pursed. He couldn't blame him for being surprised, or even for thinking he was insane. The words felt foreign even on his lips, but somehow, by some stroke of misfortune, he was in the year 3027. It didn't make sense; it didn't make him excited; but it was true all the same.

"I'm not crazy."

Shikamaru shook his head, his expression irritated. Even defensive. He was…afraid of Naruto? Naruto took a deep breathe.

"Look, before you kick me out into the," he looked out of his door and swallowed as he realized the car was hovering a couple hundred feet in the air. "Uh, atmosphere, can I at least organize my thoughts?"

Shikamaru eyed him distastefully and clicked a button beside him. Naruto's door slid shut and he welcomed the sudden loss of icy air. He sat back against the chair, grateful for his new acquaintance's kindness. He had a feeling that if he had met Shikamaru in his time, they would have immediately become friends.

"The last thing I remember…Is my party. It was, um, Friday night. Yeah, because I had English beforehand." Naruto mentally sorted the puzzle in his mind, and Shikamaru seemed as though he was attempting to do anything but listen.

"You really think I'm crazy, don't you? I don't blame you. I'm really confused."

Naruto paused and continued his verbal correlation. "It was late...Kiba gave me a drink. What was it? Vodka? I don't remember…It wasn't enough to get me drunk…"

This comment seemed to draw in Shikamaru's attention. "Vodka?"

Naruto seemed distracted and met the other boy's eyes. "Yeah. But not enough to get me drunk."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and Naruto sensed that he was intrigued. The boy turned towards him and spoke quickly. "Vodka is vintage, man. It's only made illegally here in the states."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Not where I'm from. You can find it anywhere and as long as you're 21 you're good to go."

Shikamaru looked even more confused. "Wait, there's a drinking age where you're from?"

Naruto nodded and broke eye contact with Shikamaru, feeling a bit like he was being interrogated. After a moment, Shikamaru spoke.

"Fine. I'll humor you. What year are you from, if this is the future?"

Naruto clicked his tongue. "2007."

Shikamaru nearly choked. Even Naruto thought it sounded bizarre. It was ages ago, if _this_ was the future. The other boy shook his head wildly.

"And how did you get to Sover?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and Shikamaru clarified. "The street with all the prostitutes."

Naruto threw his hands in the air. "I don't know! I don't remember anything after I took that drink…but I really felt like I was in Sleeper…"

Shikamaru tapped the small bulge that acted as a steering wheel. "Sleeper?"

Naruto nodded. "I was doing cryonics research with a professor of mine and we created it. It's like the vehicle for cold sleep."

Shikamaru's expression hardened. "Cryonics? That's impossible. The first tube was made only a year ago."

Naruto shook his head. "That's not true. People were building them in the 1990s."

There was a long period of silence and Naruto felt it weigh heavily in the vehicle. He was pummeling through his memories for a better explanation to give the other boy, but he couldn't remember. No matter how hard he tried, that night was a blur.

"What," Naruto began, somewhat uncertainly. "I mean, who invented it? The cryonic chamber?"

Shikamaru's expression had softened somewhat, as if he was beginning to believe the blond haired boy. Naruto hoped so, because he didn't want to be alone and vulnerable in this new world. He needed at least one friend to help him sort everything out.

"I don't know who exactly, but I know the corporation. The Fang Corporation…They're a fucking mogul here. Almost as big as Uchiha Industries."

Naruto could tell that he appeared to be in deep thought, and he also felt a wave of exhaustion creep through him. It was too much. All of the information was too much for him to take in.

"I don't really have any other way to explain myself." Naruto said, and he ran a hand through his hair. He laughed slightly and was aware of how weak it sounded. The driver examined him for a long while before finally making a comment.

"I still think you're crazy."

Naruto glanced over to him as the car began to move again, and he sighed. It seemed as though he had won over his first friend, albeit out of reluctance. He rested his head against the soft cushion against his back and felt his eyes close.

"Thank you." His words were soft, but he felt that his gratitude had been expressed completely. He felt his mind wander into darkness, and could feel sleep beginning to overwhelm him. It was a sudden feeling and he felt nervous, afraid that if he drifted off he would wake up in an even stranger place. On the other hand, he wondered if he would wake up in his apartment, clearly hungover with a fascinating story to tell. He hoped for the latter.

"Hey, Shikamaru?" His voice was clumsy and tired. The other boy grunted in response.

"Why were you on the prostitute street?"

Naruto was surprised when he heard a sharp chuckle. "Don't get your hopes up. I'm just a bartender."

Naruto felt confused. Hopes? Hopes of what?

"Can I fall asleep?"

His question was awkward considering that no matter what the answer, he was bound to fall fast and hard. He felt his breathing deepen.

"Hn."

As soon as Shikamaru had said it, Naruto was washed away into darkness, the fast lull of the car now soothing to his aching body. He felt his head droop and wondered where he would wake up next.

* * *

Naruto's eyes drifted open slowly and he felt his chest rise and fall with leisure. He was more comfortable than he could ever recall, and was smothered in soft linen that tickled the bare skin of his arms. He had a pillow clutched beneath him, and he noted at how delicate the cloth of the pillowcase was against his face. It felt like the Saturday after finals.

He heard an awkward clicking from behind him and sighed.

"Sakura, you really shouldn't cook…" He stumbled over his words as his mind began to wake up, and he rolled over to look at his fiancée. It was no use—he was wrapped in a barricade of sheets, and silently grumbled. He felt like a taco.

The sound continued, and he wondered what on earth she could be making so early in the morning. There was a soft sizzle that made him guess bacon, but the aroma that assaulted his nose smelled like nothing he had ever eaten before. He shrugged. With Sakura's cooking, there was a good chance it was bacon.

He pulled his arms out from under the blankets and pressed them downwards, yawning.

"Sakura, please don't tell me you've _burned_ the bacon."

There was a minute response as the sound ceased and the sizzling drifted into a delicate popping. What the hell was Sakura doing to his breakfast?

He pushed himself out from under the covers and blinked wearily. A boy was standing in front of him, eyebrows raised as if to say, 'You awake yet?'

Memories of earlier surged into Naruto's mind and he rubbed his eyes. This couldn't be happening.

"Um, good morning, I suppose." Shikamaru lifted his hand, an action that attracted Naruto's attention, and chucked something towards him. Naruto fumbled to catch it. When he peered down at it he blinked. It was small blue bottle that reminded him of a Red Bull, and he felt his eyes widen as he realized that it was.

"Red Bull made it a thousand years?"

Shikamaru nodded. "You'd be surprised."

Naruto popped the lid and drank eagerly, surprised at how dry his throat had been. The other boy sat on the edge of Naruto's bed, and Naruto took in his surroundings. It reminded him of his apartment, but much more modern. There wasn't much furniture and everything was neatly organized, and a small kitchen was parallel to him. He took another gulp.

"Who is Sakura?" Shikamaru questioned, and Naruto, who had temporarily forgotten about his morning vision, felt a wave of depression consume him. Sakura.

"My fiancée." His comment was short and he hoped that Shikamaru wouldn't ask any more. It hurt him enough to think about his situation, and with the love of his life on the line, it seemed almost unbearable.

Shikamaru looked weary, but he didn't ask any more questions about her. Instead, he changed the topic to something more relevant.

"How are you feeling?"

Naruto hadn't really thought about it. He felt rested, and his mind felt more clear. "I guess a little hungry."

Shikamaru sighed. "No surprise there. You've been out for a couple of days."

Naruto felt his eyes widen. "What?"

Shikamaru handed him what appeared to be a ball of rice, and Naruto eyed it with concern. The other boy clenched his teeth. "Eat it. It's kind of like…sushi."

Naruto's stomach growled as he was presented with food and he bit into the object. His mouth watered. The rice melted onto his tongue like a grainy liquid and he nearly groaned as the sweet taste of fish brushed across his tongue. He hadn't realized his hunger until this point, but the food was delicious. He ate quickly and poured the remaining amount of Red Bull into his mouth to finish the small meal. He wiped his lips with his wrist.

"Well, I'm glad you like my cooking." The comment wasn't sarcastic. "To be honest, I've been thinking, and I think I may believe you. But to be sure, I want to give you a pop quiz."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "On what?"

Shikamaru looked serious. "You're time. To know if you're really telling the truth."

Naruto sat back against the headboard. "Fire away."

Shikamaru shifted into a more comfortable position and began. "Who's your current president?"

"Bush."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Bush Jr."

"Alright, where are you from?"

"Boulder, Colorado. I go to the University of Colorado and my major is undecided."

Shikamaru seemed a little surprised at this fact. "What country are you from?"

"Um, the United States." Naruto shifted. These questions were unbearably easy. He almost wanted to laugh.

"And how many states are in the United States?"

"50. Look, these questions are really easy."

Shikamaru didn't' look amused and Naruto shut up. Shikamaru continued.

"Tell me all of the important events happening in your time."

"Well, for starters, I guess we're in the middle of a war with the Middle East. Global warming is starting to take effect because we just had three blizzards last winter, and oh, North Korea's been getting nuclear power. Um…our next election is going to be great because we have a woman running for president, and Barrack Obama seems pretty cool, too. Uh, is that enough or do you want more?"

Shikamaru looked indecisive. Naruto got a strange feeling that something wasn't right, and was surprised when Shikamaru sighed. "What do you think, Chouji?"

Naruto was surprised when a plump boy exited from the kitchen, chewing vacantly on a rice roll of Shikamaru's.

He was an attractive kid, and his eyes smiled. "I'd say he's from the past. He didn't hesitate on any of the questions."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "How do you guys know that I'm not lying?"

The boy named Chouji laughed. "Well, I am a history major. And I'm entirely fascinated with the 21st century."

Naruto shook his head. "I guess I'm glad you both believe me?"

He felt confused. The questions they had asked weren't difficult in the least and it seemed awkward that they would accept him so readily. Shikamaru seemed to sense his anticipation.

"History is hard to get a hold of. A lot of its information is banned, unless you're approaching it as a scholar. Chouji's in college for it, so he's able to reference it. You're obviously not a college student here, so it's pretty safe to assume that you've come onto this information on your own—Through your own experiences."

Naruto nodded as he took the information in. He assumed that Chouji was a close friend to Shikamaru and decided to leave the miniature interrogation at that.

"Well, I don't know much about this century, but do you have anything in relationship to a shower?"

Chouji laughed. "Yeah, it's called a shower."

Shikamaru grinned. "It's down the hall. I'll get you some clothes."

Naruto found the hallway with his eyes and untangled himself from the sheets. His legs ached and he realized that his outfit hadn't been altered. He silently wondered if he smelled. He shrugged and stepped off of the bed, catching his balance against a wall.

The two boys watched him somewhat intensely. "Need help?" Shikamaru asked. Naruto shook his head. "Not with walking, but maybe with the shower. I get confused using anyone else's but my own, and I'm sure yours is high tech."

Chouji stepped out of the way as Naruto slid past, eying him with curiosity.

"I can't believe you're form the past." He commented.

Naruto shook his head. "Me neither."

Shikamaru cut in front of him and entered the small bathroom, silently waiting for Naruto to edge in. He pointed to a serries of flat buttons on the wall. "Select temperature and then say 'water on'. When you're done, say 'water off'."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

Shikamaru nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Naruto examined the buttons and decided that he wouldn't press the button that read 'scolding'. He stripped from his clothes and selected a moderate temperature, before stepping into what appeared to be a large flat stand up shower. He raised an eyebrow and eyed the hanging fosset, somewhat nervous.

"What the hell," He shrugged. "Water on."

A jet of steaming water hit him in full force and he struggled to stand against it. After a few moments he adjusted and sunk into the refreshing feeling of cleanliness. The water ran in rivulets down his body and he scrubbed his face. He had a dirty tired feeling, the type of feeling that occurs when you take too long of a nap on a hot summer day. He found a few squirt bottles prodding from the wall and was thankful that they were labeled. Using as much shampoo and conditioner as he needed, he scrubbed away the icky feeling that the Sleeper had left him with, and basked in the first familiar feeling he had experienced in days.

* * *

Naruto estimated that the time he had spent getting ready was nearly equivalent to the amount of time it took Sakura to get ready for a nice date, and he felt somewhat embarrassed. But after he had managed to slip into some baggy clothes of Shikamaru's he began to feel more comfortable. His mind was free and his muscles were no longer sore, and he was ready to accept what had happened to him. After all, he had to if he intended on concocting any plan of getting back to 2007.

He entered the living room with a practiced ease, as if he had lived there for a long while. The two other boys were perched placidly on what appeared to be a low standing couch near the bed Naruto had woken up on. He noticed the sheets had been removed. He sighed. He probably _had _smelled pretty bad.

They turned to him in unison, and Naruto felt a renewed energy. He slid a hand into his pocket and tilted his head back.

"So are you guys going to help me get home, or what?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and Chouji grinned. Naruto felt as if the comment may have been a little forceful, but he wanted to be in control of the situation. He wasn't weak, and he could take what was thrown at him. He was smart and he had practically invented the contraption that had sent him to his new home, and he knew that if anyone could figure out how to get him back, it was himself. He just needed the resources. Resources he prayed his two new friends had.

"I'm afraid to let you out of the house." Shikamaru stated bluntly. Chouji punched his shoulder.

Naruto smiled. "Than teach me. I'm a fast learner."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "I think you're misinterpreting my comment," he said.

Naruto took a seat across from the two boys in a bowl chair. "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru looked at Chouji and Chouji took the initiative to speak. "This time period is a lot different than yours."

"Obviously."

"Not just with technology. With culture."

Naruto nodded. He couldn't see where the boy was headed. Chouji seemed hesitant.

"There was an epidemic a while back and it affected our population pretty bad. Mostly our women, and mostly our gene pool."

Naruto looked alarmed. "So, what? There're no women?"

Shikamaru stepped in. "There are, it's just that they marry corporate people. They're rare to see out in public…I guess. I've only see them because of my job."

Naruto was confused. "Um, okay."

Chouji breathed hard. "I guess I'll be blunt. Most of the people you're going to meet are going to be gay."

Naruto's eyes widened and he looked between the two boys. Shikamaru held up his hands. "We said most, not all. You're lucky you ran into me, an exception."

Naruto shook his head. "How…weird."

Chouji laughed. "You said earlier that you have a fiancée so I thought you'd like to know."

Naruto nodded. "Thanks." The idea was still odd to him. He decided he would have to see it to believe it.

Shikamaru spoke almost immediately. "You know, that's not the only reason why. What did your fiancée look like?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Well, she had blonde hair with pink highlights, amazing green eyes, maybe 5' 6"…why?"

Shikamaru looked to Chouji and the two boys looked concerned. Chouji pulled what appeared to be a newspaper from his lap. He chucked it at Naruto. "Prepare yourself."

Naruto looked at the picture on the front page and felt his stomach squeeze. Shikamaru sighed. "Is that her?"

Naruto couldn't answer. His throat felt numb and his eyes were dry. Because right below him, on a strained piece of paper, the familiar face of Sakura Haruno stared back.

"What…what is this?"

Chouji coughed. "It's today's paper."

Naruto read the caption beneath the picture, surprised when the picture changed into one of Sakura next to a very pale boy about Naruto's age.

'_Uchiha's only remaining son to inherit Uchiha Industries through partnership with Ms. Haruno, fiancée_.'

Naruto felt his stomach drop.

* * *


	5. The Other Man

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised Edition!

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

"The best option is for you to stay inside."

Naruto felt like a small child under house arrest, but he nodded anyway. He had reluctantly obeyed Shikamaru's command for the entirety of his stay, which at this point had reached four days. Each day was a repetition of the last as Naruto woke up, observed Shikamaru's lazy shuffle in preparation for his job, loitered around the house, and greeted Shikamaru upon his return. He hadn't seen Chouji since the fist day he had awoken in Shikamaru's apartment and a part of him was disappointed. Being under house arrest was no fun, and of the two people he knew, he figured Chouji would be the first to show him the sights of the new millennia.

Naruto pulled himself into a squat as his roommate sauntered down the hallway, adjusting an attractive gray tie against the small swell of his neck. He looked remarkably different wearing professional clothing and Naruto was embarrassed to admit that he was a little intimidated by the suit-and-tie demeanor. Even his ponytail had been lowered to the base of his neck, and a few of his earrings removed.

"Are you allowed to wear earrings to work?"

Shikamaru threw a leather jacket over his arm and grabbed a bundle of keys from what Naruto had assumed to be a modern coffee table. The taller boy shrugged.

"The limit is five for receptionists."

Naruto stifled a laugh. "Wait, you're a receptionist?"

Shikamaru frowned and twisted his jacket to his back giving Naruto a clear view of a holstered weapon. Naruto's eyes widened and Shikamaru smirked.

"Not an ordinary receptionist."

Naruto was already leaning forward, admiring the sleek black firearm tucked gently against his roommate's hip. Shikamaru glared at an electronic clock above the door way and flipped his coat around, concealing the pistol. He knelt down and picked up a binder before turning towards the door. Naruto fell back against the couch, clearly disappointed.

"Stay put." The comment was demanding, and the Asian boy was searching Naruto for an affirmative.

The blonde saluted and Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Promise." he stressed.

Naruto sighed and nodded obediently before Shikamaru vanished through the front door. He waited for the sound of the outer hallwayy door clicking closed, assuring that his friend had truly departed. He grinned like a cheshire cat and pulled his right hand from behind his back, his pointer and middle finger twisted in the symbol of broken promises. He shook his head and stood up.

"I'm not one to sit around and wait." He commented.

He stretched and found himself drifting into a makeshift study he had discovered on his second day in the Nara household and took a seat on a cushioned barstool that mirrored a giant flat screen monitor. He quickly unveiled a keyboard from the desk below him and typed in a username and password. The monitor buzzed into awareness, and Naruto grabbed a paper and pen. He had always been good with computers, and thankfully they hadn't changed to anything beyond his learning capacity. The internet was remarkably easy to navigate, and the operating system was fast and informative. If he ever became stuck, it would guide him through whatever he needed. In the small amount of time he was left alone each day he had already discovered how to permanently delete cookies, carefully blocking his virtual tracks. He was perfectly suited for something as sneaky as it was, especially because a good majority of his time had been focused on science and technology.

"Where are you..." He murmured, and he pulled his finger across the computer screen in an effort to retrace his previous searches.

He touched a small icon on the computer's screen and was transported to a page complete with numbers and names. He smiled as he found what he was looking for.

"Cavot Hotel, one in the afternoon…courtesy of Sakura Haruno." He jotted down the room number and the address of the structure and felt his eyes narrow. It was perfect that he was able to hack into such delicate systems, especially if he was able to locate an exact time and place Sakura would be. He felt a smile creep to his lips and shook it away. The joy of locating her was exhilarating, but he couldn't help but feel a cold lump of anxiety fill his chest.

_I still don't know why she's here_, he thought. _I don't want to assume that it's a coincidence._

He used a popular search engine to pull up an address finder, carefully writing down all of the directions he would need. He compared his scribbles to the internet text a few times before logging of the computer, deleting his tracks from routine. He stuffed the paper in the tight pair of denim he was wearing, another donation from Shikamaru. He had folded the bottoms in order to adjust the outfit to his height, and was wearing a slim white shirt with black embellishments on the front. He unburied a leather jacket from Shikamaru's closet and pulled it over his shoulders, adding a neglected black hat to his unkept blond head afterwards. He eyed himself in the mirror and was surprised at how decent the makeshift appearance looked. He smiled. He could definitely pass as a citizen, as long as he didn't have to speak. He had a slight accent that Shikamaru had noted to be 'a dead giveaway', and he still hadn't gotten a grasp on the normal street slang.

"If worse comes to worse, I'll just pretend to be a tourist."

He adjusted his hat and crept out of the front door, his hand clutching the crumpled directions in his pocket. He allowed a breath of anxiety to escape his lips and quickly turned in the direction that Shikamaru left every day. Without a second glance, he left the apartment.

The walls were white and the hallway reminded him vaguely of stale hospitals. He quickened his pace, afraid at any moment that someone would exit their house and see him. If he did get caught, he didn't want anyone to relate it to Shikamaru. The boy had been extremely helpful, and he owed him as little trouble as possible.

He quickly swung into what appeared to be a parking garage and followed the familiar format of the structure to a stairwell where he could see a seemingly normal street only levels below. He jogged down, eagerly glancing around in an attempt to make sure that no one saw him as suspicious. As he reached a sidewalk, he slowed his pace and took in the sights.

People bustled past, normal looking people—much different from the men and women he had encountered after he wad first awoken. Sweet and accentuating smells he had never experienced tickled his nostrils and he licked his lips.

The cars that sifted down the streets were very similar to Shikamaru's Honda and Naruto wondered how on earth someone had managed to make them levitate. He shook his head in admiration before stepping off into the crowd of migrating people. It was nearly noon and Naruto assumed that it was some type of lunch hour as the delicious smells continued to intoxicate him. He narrowed his eyes and withdrew the paper from his pocket.

"The next street…take a right." He mumbled, immediately glancing up to the current street sign. It didn't read what he had written, so he continued on.

His attempts to look natural were damaged by the fact that everything seemed to awe him, especially the modern technology that seemed to be everywhere. Giant billboards that resembled flat screen televisions lined the upper horizon of the buildings, and Naruto noticed a second level of traffic above the cars drifting along the ground. He felt his lips part in fascination.

When he returned his vision to the passing street signs, he began to notice that an alarming amount of men were examining him. He felt himself blush, even though he wasn't entirely sure why. He buried his concentration back into the crumpled piece of paper and was excited when his street came into view. He tilted to the right, prepared to cross with a small crowd of people. He was grateful, too, because when the tiny walk signal issued and electronic sidewalk carried him tot eh other side. He felt like laughing. Either laziness had just reached a new level, or someone had been extremely frustrated with giving out tickets for jay walking.

He ignored the curious glances he received as he continued his trek, slowly making his way into what appeared to be the downtown area of whatever city he was in. The buildings had become more European deco, and the crowds on the street had been widdled down to a few men in business suits. Naruto silently wondered if this was where Shikamaru worked but quickly dissolved the thought. He didn't want to jinx running into the boy.

His heart raced faster as he spotted a giant sepulcher of a building with giant letters spelling 'Cavot' adorned in gold. He felt his chest get tight and he stepped forward. He couldn't turn back when he had made it so far. He edged forward, approaching the building with and awkward feeling brewing in his stomach. He felt out of place enough, but being surrounded by nothing but business suits was beginning to make him feel even more disillusioned. He shoved the paper into his pocket and took a deep breath.

"If they think I'm suspicious I'll just say that I'm a tourist."

He stepped directly in front of the doors to the massive building, a little amused to find that they were giant revolving doors. He sighed. No one ever looked intelligent passing through revolving doors. He shook his head, however, and shifted forward, catching the momentum of one swing as another man plowed out, a swiveling piece of luggage shadowing him. Naruto pushed through the doors and took in a sharp breath as the innards of the hotel met his 21st century eyes.

It was beautiful.

Murals adorned the ceilings along with chandeliers and jeweled rafters. A magnificent grand staircase hovered in front of him, red reed carpet providing a stark and elegant contrast to the gold and beige matte that blanketed the walls and marble floor. He pulled his jaw back into place. From behind him a voice sounded, making him jump.

"Can I help you?"

Naruto felt his pulse quicken and he turned around. Doubt began to fill his mind but instinct shoved it away. _You've come too far_, he thought.

"Ah, I'm here for Sakura Haruno." The man looked at him somewhat intently and Naruto began to question all of the things he had read about her presence at the hotel. It appeared as though she had set up a meeting between herself and someone else. He had only hoped that he would be able to sneak in.

"You seem like the right type. You've even got an accent," The man added. He walked away with a rushed force. "Come on," He said, and Naruto stumbled to follow the older man. He was led up the long flight of stairs and down an extremely vacant hallway. He admired the intricacy of the decorating though, and felt as if he had stumbled into some sort of palace. Portraits adorned the walls and bowls and dished of fresh flowers were placed convincingly at every doorway. Naruto raised an eyebrow, slightly confused. He had never had a hotel do that before, and he didn't really want to figure out why this particular one did.

The older man stopped in front of a firm oak door and opened it, allowing Naruto to go in. Naruto looked to the older man, waiting for some comment implying exit. He old man complied.

"It won't be long." He drifted away and Naruto watched as the door closed.

It was that easy?

He felt his heart loosen and he felt the heat of the room begin to take a toll on his leather coat. He pulled it off and threw it onto a decorative chair. He took in the room and whistled. It was meticulous with perfection.

His mind began to wander to the task at hand. He felt anxious but he swallowed hard. It was Sakura, his fiancée. Nerves weren't something he felt comfortable with experiencing, especially because he was more than excited to see her and to figure out what had happened. Perhaps she had the answers that he didn't. He sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. The door clicked open.

And Naruto looked confused.

The person that had entered was not Sakura .Hell, it wasn't even a woman. Naruto stood up as the boy entered, shedding a suit jacket and placing it over Naruto's abandoned leather one. He twisted towards Naruto and Naruto was shocked at the intensity of his expression. His features were sharp and precise, and his eyes were narrowed and enticing. Naruto could tell that the man was wealthy, and immediately felt at odds. There was an air that had filled the room that intimidated him, and he couldn't figure out why. The fact that he was there instead of Sakura seemed to be a clue.

The boy began to approach Naruto and Naruto felt his brain click. "You're Sasuke Uchiha."

It came out as more of a statement than an exclamation, and the boy raised an eyebrow before wrapping an arm around Naruto's waist. "Nice guess."

Naruto stumbled backwards as the young Uchiha pressed against him, nearly falling onto the bed. Sirens went off in Naruto's mind as the raven haired boy lowered his head, and Naruto felt his emotions skyrocket as the stranger captured his lips aggressively. The sheer force of the action sent him crumbling backwards and he blushed when he felt the other boy's hips press against his own. He panicked and shoved the weight from his chest, scrambling out from beneath the hot body and tumbling towards the door. There was a thump as the stranger slid onto the ground and amidst Naruto's adrenaline rush he slipped across the hard wood floors and crashed against the oak doorway. He stood up slowly, resting his back against the door and eyeing the Uchiha. The raven haired boy pulled himself up from the ground and looked livid.

"What the hell?"

"That's what I should be asking," Naruto said. Though his heart was racing, his words were confident. He licked his lips and inwardly cringed.

The raven haired boy stood from his crouched position and a smirk crawled across his lips. "I get it. She wanted to give me a challenge, huh?"

Naruto didn't like the sound of his conclusion and held his arms out as the taller boy approached. The Uchiha came as far forward as he could before reaching Naruto's palms and looked down, slightly intrigued.

"There's been a mistake," Naruto said calmly, making sure that his eyes were locked with the taller boy's. He searched for some sign that the boy was interpreting his statement, but no such understanding crossed the Uchiha's desperate eyes. Naruto felt the boy take hold of his wrists, and press him backwards against the frame of the door. Naruto hissed as the frame bit into his back and twisted his head to the side to avoid an oncoming kiss. He immediately regretted it when Sasuke found his neck more enticing, and Naruto struggled to bite back a positive response. He pushed hard but the raven haired man was stronger, and was obviously practiced at what he did. Naruto growled.

"Get…just get off! Get _off_ of me!" He kicked his legs in an attempt to escape but found that he was confined a little too perfectly. As the Uchiha's tongue made its way to his ear, Naruto shoved with all of his energy.

"I am _not_ gay!" He exclaimed, and Sasuke fell hard against the floor. A knock sounded from behind Naruto and he realized that he had been pinned against the doorway. From outside, the older bellhop sounded.

"Mr. Uchiha, there appears to be a problem. Another man claiming to be your escort has arrived. Mr. Uchiha, are you alright?"

Naruto felt his insides grow cold and bitter. He had been confused for a male escort?

The raven haired boy eyed Naruto intensely and glared. "Who are you?"

Naruto felt his eyes narrow. "I came here looking for Sakura."

Sasuke stood up and slammed his hand against the wall beside Naruto's head. Naruto flinched. There was a long pause.

"Mr. Uchiha, are you alright?"

Sasuke growled. "I'm fine. Tell the other to go home. There must have been a mistake."

Though his words were relieving, his actions were not. He glared down at Naruto with a fierce expression and hissed. "What do you want with Sakura?"

Naruto stood up straighter in an attempt to look less intimidated. "To talk to her."

Sasuke removed his hand from the doorway and laughed. "And why on earth would she want to talk with you?"

Naruto stepped forward, his features contorting. "I'm her fiancée, that's why!"

This seemed to bring a new expression from the pale stranger, and Naruto wasn't entirely sure how to react. The boy seemed…surprised? Naruto didn't care. The entire situation had gone from bad to worse.

"What a joke. Get out."

Naruto balled a fist. "Not until I can see Sakura."

Sasuke shot him a dangerous look and Naruto subconsciously took a step back. It was obvious to him that it was dangerous for him to stay. He felt his stomach tighten.

"Can I at least ask you a question?" Naruto said, letting his fist loosen. The other boy sat on the edge of the bed and crossed his legs.

"What year was Sakura born?" Naruto needed to know. None of the web pages on her—none of the excerpts could give any information on her birthplace or age. If Sasuke said 1985, it would be easy for him to admit that he was from the past as well. If not, he would know that something wasn't right.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Get out."

"You don't know?"

"GET OUT!" Naruto scrambled for the knob and turned quickly for one last comment. He narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"If she asks, tell her that…Naruto's here."

Sasuke made a threatening movement towards Naruto and the blonde quickly pulled the door closed before him and took off running down the hall. It was only when he spun out of the double doors that he realized he had forgotten Shikamaru's leather jacket, and only when he arrived home that he realized that Shikamaru had gotten home early.

* * *

**A/N-- ** Small changes, small changes... 


	6. Boushi Enterprises

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments**: Revised Edition!

* * *

**Chapter 6:**

The button was shaped like a rectangle, rigid and precise as it sat decidedly above the apartment door. Naruto wondered if it was made of plastic, and felt his finger gently creep along its exterior, the smooth surface tickling the coarse flat of his forefinger. He had been standing in this position for what seemed to be hours, attempting to concoct some sort of intelligent excuse for his absence. He shifted uncomfortably, and shook his raised hand which was beginning to cramp. After a deep breath he poked the button, not entirely prepared for a lecture from his only friend in the modern world.

As the semi-opaque hover door lifted towards the ceiling, Naruto stepped backwards, a feeling of surprise racing down his spine as Shikamaru stood, glaring at him from the other side. The boy shook his head. "Honestly, Naruto. How long were you planning on just standing out there?"

Naruto felt his cheeks flush from embarrassment, and as Shikamaru meandered towards the living area, Naruto entered. He felt awkward, the same was a child feels when they know they're about to be scolded. He put a hand in his pocket and began to roll a piece of lint between his fingers.

Shikamaru sat down on the couch and sighed irritably, pointing a remote towards the doorway. As his fingers punched a series of buttons, the door descended and turned from transparent to a solid color. Naruto speculated what else the tiny device could do, but stifled the question in his throat. Now probably wasn't the best time.

"How many people saw you?" Shikamaru asked, flipping another switch on the remote. The giant flat screen wall in front of him lit up in response, and he slouched against the firm backing of the couch. He lifted an eyebrow at Naruto and Naruto could tell that even though the boy appeared nonchalant, he was in actuality livid. Naruto sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry. I really don't know what you were expecting though."

He sat on a barstool by the kitchen in an attempt to keep his distance. He disliked displeasing other people, and guilt was clawing at his frame. He was surprised when he made eye contact with the boy.

"I suppose you don't really know why I asked you to stay here." Shikamaru said, shifting in his seat. A new age music video was flashing on the wall, and his eyes reflected a slight glare. Naruto shrugged. "My accent, my personality—"

"Your appearance." Shikamaru said deftly. Naruto looked down at himself questionably. He compared his outfit to Shikamaru's, and noticed that they were entirely similar. It even registered in his mind that Shikamaru had changed from his work clothes to very casual wear, and Naruto cocked an eyebrow. "I don't follow."

Shikamaru stood up and motioned for Naruto to follow him. Naruto complied, shadowing the Asian boy to a transparent glass window that overlooked a great deal of the inner city. Shikamaru pointed downwards towards the street where throngs of people bustled about. Naruto felt dizzy peering down from the height and stepped backwards. He rubbed his eyes.

"Afraid of heights?" Shikamaru asked. He seemed slightly concerned.

Naruto nodded only slightly, and Shikamaru spoke again. "Well, the point wasn't to make you uncomfortable. Here's my question. How many blonde tan men do you see, or did you see, hunkering around downtown?"

Naruto paused from his ministrations to think, and felt as though Shikamaru had given him a revelation. He shook his head. "None."

Shikamaru sifted past him and planted himself on the couch, his chest heaving as a deep sigh released. "Exactly. Look, we've had a lot of global warming problems in the past and it's unusual to find people of your…color. And the blonde, that's an extreme rarity. Even when I saw you on Sover I knew something was up."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Even if I look different, people aren't going to jump to the conclusion that I'm one thousand years old."

Shikamaru laughed. "That would be the least of your worries."

Naruto sat on the couch next to him and put his feet up on the coffee table. "And why's that?"

Shikamaru thumbed the remote and changed the channel. Naruto wondered if he head heard him speak.

"Look, I'm all for attempting to sort out how you got here. It's fascinating—a fucking Sherlock Holmes case. And yes, I do know who that is," he mentioned. "But you've got to realize that it's going to take time and careful planning. You can't just go interrogating people around here…unless you want to end up dead or locked up somewhere."

Naruto fidgeted with the hem of his white pullover. Shikamaru sighed and the tension seemed to ease somewhat.

"Are you going to tell me where you went today?"

Naruto felt a disgruntled laugh tumble from his throat and he shook his head. "Man, I don't know where to start."

"The beginning would be fine." Shikamaru's voice fell flat.

"No, that's not what I mean. I attempted to meet up with Sakura but I got molested by a guy."

Shikamaru's eyebrows raised and he looked over the blonde with distress. Naruto held up his hands. "Ha, I managed to get away of course…"

Shikamaru appeared relieved, but Naruto continued. "But, it was afterwards that I realized that the guy was Sasuke Uchiha."

Shikamaru leapt to his feet. "Wha-What!?"

Naruto rubbed his temples and stifled an embarrassed laugh. "Yeah, I don't know."

Shikamaru was fuming and Naruto wasn't entirely sure how to react. The whole situation had been troubling enough for himself, and reliving it through an explanation was something he wasn't prepared for. He decided to sum up the event.

"He thought I was a male escort or something."

Shikamaru stared vacantly for a moment, his eyes narrowed and void. His lips were still parted with shock, and his nostrils flared as he breathed. Naruto wondered if he was panicking, and silently realized that Shikamaru was a difficult person to read. He felt the ugly ball of guilt return to his stomach and he buried his ehad in his hands.

"I made a big mistake, didn't I?"

Shikamaru sat down next to him and coughed, the color returning to his face. He blinked a few times and picked at an itchy spot on his nose.

"Yeah, I'm betting so. I told you, Uchiha is like a God here and I wouldn't be surprised if he has people out looking for you."

"People?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Don't play dumb. You managed to sneak yourself into the presence of one of the most powerful people in the nation only to—and correct me if I'm wrong—run away after meeting him. Most people would consider that extremely suspicious."

Naruto laughed. "Well it's probably worse than that, too. I told him I was looking for Sakura."

Shikamaru's face didn't change and Naruto assumed it had reached its ultimate frowning capacity. Naruto looked away from him and decided not to mention that the word 'fiancée' had popped into the discussion as well. Shikamaru's eyes were already burning holes into him and he didn't want to feel any worse. There was a long period of silence and Naruto felt his eyes drift to the television which was now showing what appeared to be a reality series. He licked his lips.

"I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to kick you out." Shikamaru's voice was thin and vapid. Naruto felt his stomach drop.

"Look, I won't leave again—"

"Naruto," Shikamaru stated, "I work for Sasuke. I'm sure if there are people looking, they'll investigate workers directly related to Uchiha Industries."

Naruto raised and eyebrow. "You've had Sasuke right in front of you this_ entire_ time? And you didn't tell _me_?"

Shikamaru slouched back against the frame of the couch and ran his hands over his jeans, wiping away invisible particles. Naruto cleared his throat.

"It's not what you think. I've only seen the guy twice, passing through the corporate office. He's a fucking snake, entering and leaving without being seen."

Naruto couldn't help but feel hurt. The closer he felt to Shikamaru, the further away he became. He growled.

"Look, I've been completely up front with you about everything. I'd appreciate it if you'd be the same towards me." It was the first time he had been aggressive with the other boy, and he felt as though his tongue was on fire. If Shikamaru worked for Uchiha, he had to know something more than he had let on. Shikamaru raised his eyes to Naruto's and groaned. He pulled his hands above his head and clicked his tongue.

"How troublesome. Look, I wasn't lying to you when I told you I didn't know much about him or Sakura. The reason I didn't tell you I worked there is because I knew you'd figure I had some sort of in—which I don't. I'm a peon of the company Naruto, a fucking peon."

"A peon with an automatic firearm?" Naruto scolded, and he felt his anger thicken. "Who just so happens to moonlight as a bartender?"

"Look, it's not what you think. It's for security measures against particular people who aren't expected to play low caliber in their aggressive behavior."

"Like who?"

"Like people I'm not allowed to talk about," Shikamaru retorted. There was another long pause and Naruto sighed. "I have no where to go."

Shikamaru shifted. "Yes, you do. I'm sending you to Chouji. He'll set you up at the university…and it might even be better. You'll get a lot more free room to research."

"I thought it was best I wasn't seen?"

Shikamaru nodded. "I have a plan, though."

Naruto looked intrigued. It wasn't as though he didn't trust the Asian boy, only that he knew he would feel lost without him. It had been a long while since he had seen Chouji, and he silently wondered if this idea was the best. After glancing sidelong at Shikamaru's intense thoughtfulness, Naruto rested his head on the palm of his hand.

"And what kind of a plan is that?"

Shikamaru shifted and seemed uncomfortable. He licked his lip and cleared his throat. "I'm not saying this to get a rise out of you, but hear me out." There was a pause.

"If this Sakura is your Sakura…well, it's kind of strange she hasn't come to find you…even now. If Sasuke mentioned something about you to her, she'd probably be right on your tail—and with the Uchiha resources, they would have been here before you even got home."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You're saying you're suspicious of her?"

Shikamaru pointed a finger. "For now, and you should be too. You need to go someplace where you can research not only people, but your situation, and do it protected and unnoticed."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "And where would that miracle land be?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "It's going to be difficult…"

Naruto was beginning to get excited as the anxiety built within him. He felt awkward and unwanted, but at the same time like James Bond. He had never imagined having to run and hide from his identity, but going to a place that provided him with all possible resources to solve his dilemma made his heart rush. "Just tell me already." He said.

Shikamaru bit his lip. "Fang and Uchiha's biggest rival. Boushi Enterprises."

Naruto stood up and slammed a hand against his hip. "And how am I supposed to get into a corporation when I don't even have an I.D.?"

Shikamaru smiled. "That's where Chouji comes in. He's an intern there."

Naruto tilted his head in thought and slid his hand into his pocket, relocating the crumbled piece of lint he had scrunched up. After a few moments of contemplating the idea, he nodded.

"You know more about what you're talking about than I do. If you think I can do it, I'll do my best."

Shikamaru stood up and patted him on the back. "It's probably for the best." He sifted around the house, searching for a thin device Naruto had discovered to be a home phone. Within ten minutes Shikamaru had concocted a plan with Chouji, and within an hour, Naruto was ready to leave, Chouji grinning excitedly at his side. Naruto looked at Shikamaru and felt a wave of sadness come over him. Shikamaru must have noticed the gesture because he put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. After I know no one's looking for you, I'll be in contact."

Naruto smiled dimly.

"Besides," Shikamaru added, "I want to be there to kick your ass back to the past."

Naruto felt Chouji tap his hand and he turned to follow the heavy-set boy down the placid white hall. He tilted his head back and smiled at Shikamaru.

"Thank you. And if you don't call within a week,I'll find a way to contact _you_." It was more of a threat than anything and Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Good luck, kiddo."

Naruto grinned and followed Chouji into the parking garage, admiring the purple hue the sky was illuminating. As he settled himself inside Chouji's astro car, he took a deep breath.

Something in the way the breeze blew told him that his adventure had just begun.

* * *

It had been nearly a week since Naruto had watched Shikamaru's lean apartment building fade into the distance, and as he pushed himself into a sitting position on his bed, he realized how much he had thought about the Asian boy. He had waited patiently all week for a phone call, resisting the temptation to leave the small studio dorm Chouji had managed to confiscate for him, only to feel less and less positive about the warnings Shikamaru had left him with. 

If Uchiha saw him as a threat and did send a task force after him, would Shikamaru be in danger? Naruto suppressed the thought as his finger thumbed the tiny digit that was his phone, examining the chrome surface for a sign of a call. As far as Naruto was concerned Shikamaru had his new home number, courtesy of Chouji. He pressed a small button, causing the screen to illuminate. When no calls showed, he frowned.

Chouji had been a lifesaver over the past week. In actuality, Naruto owed Chouji a great deal, simply because everything he had was owed, in part, to the tenacious round boy. He had a private home, a computer, and a fake campus pass that enabled him to wander freely throughout the university that domineered in the areas of history and science. He hadn't had the opportunity to use the identification yet, simply because he wanted Shikamaru's go. He didn't want to endanger the people who were risking their lives in helping him.

His head twisted as a knock sounded on his door, and he blinked as Chouji entered, a small brown bag in his hand.

"You should turn on some light, dude." Naruto hadn't realized the darkness that had enveloped his abode, and he pressed a button near his headboard, laughing.

"Sorry. Guess I've just been spaced out."

Chouji closed the door and chucked the bag at him. "You've got weird sayings." He commented. Naruto nodded and pecked at the sack. When he opened it he felt like hugging his newest friend.

"You brought me _food_?" His puckered his lips in jest. In truth, he was extremely grateful. He had been living off of Chucks, the future equivalent to Lays potato chips, and bottled water. He ripped into an aluminum bun to reveal something that resembled a burrito. He took a bite and let the soft meat melt in his mouth.

"Yum." He said.

Chouji laughed and sat down next to him, propping his legs on a stack of magazines. Naruto's room was practically empty, sparing the bed and various piled of collected items, such as the newspapers and magazines. Naruto was depressed to admit he had read every article, simply because of his boredom. He took another bite of his burrito, and glanced at Chouji.

"Did you do well on your exam?"

The other boy laughed heartily and rubbed an eye. "Yeah."

"You studied hard enough."

Chouji laughed. "I had a good tutor."

It was Naruto's turn to smile. Chouji's test had been on Naruto's time period, and he had given Chouji several helpful bits of information that were sure to amaze his teacher. It was pure genius, and the only way Naruto could think to repay the boy for his kindness.

"Has Shikamaru called?" Naruto asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice.

Chouji nodded, and Naruto felt himself sigh inwardly with relief. "And?"

"And he says it's weird because nothing's happened involving you at all. He thinks it's a little suspicious, but he says that I should do everything I can to get you out of this apartment."

Naruto laughed. "Awe, didn't know you guys cared."

Chouji pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Naruto who had just engulfed the remaining portion of his burrito. Naruto opened it and noted that it contained an address and directions.

"I got you an interview with the head of Boushi. Try to sound as intellectual as possible, and I'm sure you'll get an internship."

Naruto nodded and felt a thought tickle at his mind. Though he had admitted his interest in cryonics, he had never mentioned much of anything about his discovery. After a moment of thinking, he concluded that that would be a fact he kept to himself.

He licked his lips and crumpled the paper up in his hand.

"Right. So tomorrow I become an intern at Boushi."

Chouji grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "And get one step closer to Sakura."

Naruto smiled, an uneasy feeling invading his stomach. Shikamaru's words still haunted his mind, and he silently wondered what kind of step he was taking. He smiled.

"If they want intelligence, I'll give them everything I've got."

Naruto crumpled his paper ball as small as it would go and tossed it across the room towards a tiny waste basket.

He didn't miss.

* * *


	7. Research the Past

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author**: Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** This is taxing.

Revised Edition.

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

The autumn night was brisk and Naruto woke early, showering and dressing in time to shadow Chouji to the university campus. The sun was barely edging above the horizon when Chouji's astro vehicle drifted into what Naruto assumed to be a new age parking lot, and the blonde peered out of the passenger window questioningly as Chouji's car sifted directly over another and halted midair. Naruto's ears heard the engine come to a halt, and he felt his fists tighten around the edge of the seat, expecting the car to collapse downward onto the other vehicle. He blinked when it remained still. From beside him, Chouji laughed.

"Welcome to the age of invisible parking structures." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

Chouji laughed harder. "No, no. The car has an anti gravity suspension. It's the getting _out_ that's tricky."

Naruto peered down to the cement lot and felt a familiar wave of dizziness pass through him. He rubbed his temples. He _hated_ heights.

Chouji leaned over him and pressed a small button on the passenger side door, allowing a lean step stool to descend. Naruto heard the device rumble downward and he swung his legs over, finding the metal support beneath his feet. He scrambled down as quickly as he could and felt a wave of tranquility pass through him as his feet brushed the natural curve of the blacktop cement. He breathed deeply and shook his head. He was surprised when Chouji placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Dude, you should have told me you have acrophobia."

Naruto waved a hand in dismissal. "It's not that bad. I mean, it wasn't this bad before…"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Chouji laughed.

"One day you and I will actually sit down and talk about stuff." The pudgy boy began to walk away and Naruto drifted behind. "What do you mean?"

Chouji paused a moment, allowing for Naruto to catch up. When Naruto was at his side, he began. "Well, haven't you ever thought that it's a little weird, well, that you're not damaged? I mean, the first cryo tube was invented like, a year ago. So what got you here? Something ancient, that's what. And look at you, as healthy as can be with no side effects."

"So, you're saying my acrophobia is probably a side effect?"

Chouji slapped him hard on the back. "I'm saying you'd be dumb lucky if that was your only problem."

Naruto nodded. "Ah." To be honest, he had thought about that exact topic frequently. It was amazing to him that a prototype that had only managed to freeze a cat had managed to perfectly preserve him for nearly one thousand years. He found the entire situation hardly believable, the only proof being his existence.

"Hopefully soon I'll know what happened to me," he said. Chouji nodded.

The duo rounded a corner and turned onto a sidewalk that led through a small park with squared out sections of flowers. It all seemed very meticulous, and Naruto scrunched his nose as the smell of late blooming flowers assaulted his nose. He followed Chouji closely as a giant building peered over an iron gate and as they neared the gate, Chouji stopped him.

"Alright. I know you snuck out once, but I still have reason to believe you have no clue how to act out in public. Therefore, from here on out, you're my cousin from out of country, here on visa."

Naruto frowned. "Um, okay. What country?"

Chouji turned his face upward, running a finger across his chin in thought. "Someplace no one knows about…Let's see…Australia."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "That's kind of mean."

Chouji shook his head. "Believe me, after they went to war for Antarctica, their entire culture became shrouded in mystery." The word mystery came out in a wheeze and Naruto assumed that it was done for mysterious intent. He nodded, slowly taking in the information. "Okay. So I'm your cousin from…Australia."

Chouji nodded. "And, well. I know you don't like guys, but don't be surprised if they like you."

Naruto nodded again, making a somewhat reluctant mental note. He felt his fingers start to fiddle and realized that he was anxious. Chouji noticed too.

"I'm going to take you to the computer lab and leave you there while I'm in class. When I get out, I'll take you to the Boushi corporate office."

Naruto jogged to catch up with Chouji, who had begun walking towards the building. Naruto was surprised to find that the school looked very Christian. It's highest tip stood like a steeple in the sky, and delicate roman features deviated from its exterior.

"Hey, why does the church look Christian?" He asked. It was a surprise to him, only because as far as he was aware, Christianity didn't approve of homosexuality. Chouji gave him an awkward look and they continued to march towards the building.

"Well, because the building is like a text—it's architecture resembles a time where law was invented, so subconsciously I guess we're able to recognize it as a place of profession. But I think I know what you're getting at. Dude, a lot of people are Christian."

Naruto was afraid to ask further, simply because a dangerous look had crossed Chouji's face. The larger boy continued anyway. "Religion is constantly adjusting to the times. About one hundred years ago, it was forced to adjust to ours."

Naruto nodded. He had never been religious in his life, and the sexual preferences of anyone in this time period didn't really bother him at all.

Unless it was a certain black haired business owner.

Naruto blushed as the memory returned and immediately slapped the feeling away_. I'm acting like a girl_, he thought hotly. He turned the corner with Chouji and entered the building, pasing through two large red oak doors. He whistled as his feet squeaked on marble, and compared the innards of the monstrosity to the hotel he had encountered nearly a week previous. He shook his head in amazement, and admired the murals adorning the ceiling. They were all identical copies to the religious masterpieces of Da Vinci. He felt his breath hold.

"And who is this, Chouji?" A shrill voice brought Naruto's head back to the thin marble hallway which had filled with students. The majority of them were male, and Naruto felt embarrassed as several of them glanced at him. A few even winked, and Naruto blushed. It was flattering.

Strange, but flattering.

As the voice continued, Naruto found it, and was surprised when a perfectly blonde girl with blue eyes stared back at him, her lips curved playfully into a grin. "I never imagined that I would meet another blonde. Especially a boy."

Naruto wasn't entirely sure what to say and was grateful when Chouji stepped in.

"Ino, this is my cousin. He's from _Australia_." Naruto noticed that the word had been wheezed out again and he secretly wondered if there was some sort of inside joke in the word. The girl named Ino lifted an eyebrow with interest.

"Really. Takes a brave boy to venture way out there."

Naruto attempted a chuckle and licked his lips. Chouji glanced at him quickly and Naruto played it off.

"What can I say? I like a little excitement." The comment seemed to be fitting, because Ino nodded approvingly. Chouji even seemed to relax a little, and Naruto felt like he was walking on eggshells. The trio began to maneuver down the hallway and Naruto, who was tailing in the rear, did his best to listen to the conversation.

"So why did you drag your poor cousin here?"

Chouji parted the crowd and Naruto could hear his deep throated laugh. "To give the poor guy a computer."

Ino laughed, her shrill voice nearly silencing the hall. Naruto felt out of place. He was directed to a sidelong room that appeared to be a library and was amazed to see that it was a lecture hall made of nothing but computers. It put his computer lab to shame. He grimaced as he recalled the small room at his college and the many our he had spent waiting for dial up service. He sighed.

"What are you thinking about?" Chouji ventured.

Naruto shook his head. "How much better this place seems than my college."

Chouji laughed and Ino smirked. "You made it into a college down there?"

Naruto felt his mind draw a blank and looked to Chouji for assistance. He had no idea how Australia had become such an awkward topic and he had no clue how to respond.

"He's a smart kid, Ino."

The girl nodded and looked down at her wrist. Naruto hoped it was a watch she was glancing at but decided not to ask. He didn't want to feel stupid if it wasn't. Chouji motioned towards the door to the computer lab and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Go research and whatnot. I'll be back in about two hours."

Naruto immediately felt blood rush to his head and was surprised at how nervous he felt. Even though he had already been out into public, this situation seemed ultimately more intimidating. He suspected it was because it was a college like setting. The people around him all seemed like normal students, and in Naruto's time, he would have been perfectly fine on his own. But now, considering all of the cultural changes, Naruto was afraid to talk to other students. He felt morbidly out of place, but did his best to keep his expression confident. He didn't want to do anything to compromise future excursions into the modern world.

"I'll be waiting." He said and he waved as Chouji drifted away. As soon as Chouji vanished into a crowd uniformed boys, Naruto slipped into the lab and was suddenly aware that every single eye was on him. And above that, the room only had male students occupying it.

He looked down towards the floor in an attempt not to make eye contact and shimmied down an aisle, taking a seat that was isolated from any other student. He took a deep breath and hoped that he didn't appear awkward. He almost laughed.

_Of course I seem awkward_.

He found himself turning the computer on and was content when the computer flashed into action. He had something to concentrate on and wouldn't have to worry about all of the attention he was getting.

He clicked an internet link and waited only a few seconds before the page uploaded, a search engine ready for him to utilize. He decided to take this opportunity to delve as far as he could into the mystery that was Sakura.

He typed in her name, a plus sign, and birth place. The page loaded and there were no adequate results, spare a few loose articles about her engagement to Uchiha. Naruto bit his lip. He deleted the words birthplace and typed in biography. A few new results visualized, and Naruto clicked on the top selection. A well designed page appeared and Naruto compared it distantly to wikipedia. He read the article carefully.

_The twenty three year old woman first arrived in the central United States in the year 3025. Her near complete education and social standing were an immediate attraction for the leader of Uchiha Industries, Sasuke Uchiha. Her insights to the scientific realm of this century have lead to many modern developments which can be found in detail on the Uchiha corporate website… _

Naruto felt himself frown. "That's not much information at all."

He pegged backwards and clicked on the second link the search engine provided. It dissolved into a purple layout with an attractive picture of Sakura smiling passionately from the screen, and Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. Her beautiful green eyes brought memories back to him. He felt his heart sink and he rested his chin on the palm of his hand. He sighed and began to read the text below. After only a few sentences he realized that it was a fan website, full of blogs. He rolled his eyes, feeling a sting of jealousy.

_I think Ms. Haruno is an inspiration to all of us women. She proves that women can be intelligent and feminine. She is my role model._

Naruto rolled his eyes again, and continued to read.

_Oh my God! What a beautiful girl—and lucky too! Sasuke is sooo cute! I wish I had such an attractive future husband._

Naruto cringed as he recalled his kiss with the man. He scrolled down a few blogs and read one that caught his interest. It seemed like a conversation between a few bloggers.

_**Snake Eyes**__: Doesn't anyone find it bizarre that no one knows where she's from?_

_**Random Girl**__: It's for her protection, obviously._

_**Snake Eyes**__: Marrying an Uchiha should give her enough protection. I bet he doesn't even know._

_**PervieOlMan**__: Her birthplace was Osington._

_**Random Girl:**__ Like you would know, Perv._

_**Further messages deleted by **_**WIT.**

Naruto felt his eyebrows wrinkle in confusion and he reread the passage. He paused at the end. The information seemed fairly random, but the fact it was deleted made him raise and eyebrow. And what was WIT?

He mentally stored the name Osington and paged back to the search engine, quickly typing in the abbreviation WIT. A bold link appeared and Naruto assumed it was an official webpage. He read the description below it and bit his lip.

'Web Investigation Technology, a professional security system for professional provisions.'

Naruto felt a sarcastic smile occupy his face. _In other words_, he thought, a _business that works to hide information._

He shook his head and eyed the clock at the base of the computer desktop. Only twenty minutes had passed. He tapped his thumb against the computer desk and looked around the room, and immediate flush overpowering his features. There were at least five guys staring at him. He felt a groan escape his lips and he turned off the computer, standing abruptly and surprising his admirers. They attempted to appear busy, and Naruto shuffled out of the room and towards the hallway that he had entered. It wouldn't hurt if he wandered around the campus, and he secretly hoped he would find some sort of information center with Osington on a map.

He followed the murals he had seen earlier to the giant red doors of the school and exited slowly, soaking in the sunlight. He noticed that the campus was fairly active and he wondered what classes were like in the future. He frowned as he concluded he would never have the luxury to find out, simply because his education was probably ancient in comparison. He shrugged and shuffled down a small stairway, following a new path around the side of the school. As he turned he encountered a second parking lot. He grimaced as he walked into trouble.

"Come on Lady. You shouldn't be on this campus anyway!"

A woman was being hassled by a select crowd of boys. They were somewhat hysteric, and Naruto wasn't entirely sure why. He contemplated turning around and pretending he hadn't seen anything, but his mind changed as soon as one of the boys, a bald one, lunged towards the woman, causing her to step backwards towards the lot. Naruto's body acted faster than his mind as he saw an astro car aimed straight for her, an he dodged forward through the boys, yanking the girl towards him in a protective pull. She fell against him easily and the car vehicle zipped by, the driver eyeing Naruto with gratitude. The boys behind him had backed away in an air of anxiety, frightened for the woman's life. Naruto glared at the bald kid and the girl slowly slipped from his grasp.

"Look," the boy said, "It's not what you think." Naruto was surprised that the boy's fearsome expression had disappeared and decided to owe it to his appearance. He supposed being a blonde wasn't so bad. He turned to look at the girl and felt himself blink as he realized that she was a very attractive girl. She was around his age with short black hair and eyes so light he could only compare them to the icy blue eyes of an albino cat Sakura had once rescued off of the street. He coughed. "Are you okay?"

She parted her lips to answer but was interrupted from behind.

"Hey blondie, get in the car."

The girl's grip tightened on his arm.

* * *


	8. Too Close for Comfort

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised Edition!

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

"Hey blondie, get in the car."

Naruto turned around, his bright blue eyes immediately locating the source of the command. He felt his eyes narrow as he realized the speaker was seated in a very green astro car perfectly parked behind him and his rescue, and he frowned as he took in the male's appearance. Specifically his eyes.

"And what if I don't want to?" He questioned. He felt himself stand taller with the comment, a movement that he knew gave him an air of confidence. If he was going to survive in this new era, he wasn't going to do it without a fight.

The boy folded a long strand of smooth brown hair behind his ear before smirking. His eyes curled upwards in unison with his playful expression, and Naruto was surprised to find that his eyes were an even lighter shade of blue than his own. After a moment of thought, he realized that they were very similar to the girl he had just rescued.

"After rescuing my cousin, how could I not return the favor?" The boy licked his lips, and Naruto raised an eyebrow in question. He held his composure and peered down towards the girl, suddenly aware that she was facing him. She gave a short bow and smiled.

"Thank you. Your gesture was much appreciated." Naruto noted that she appeared content and he decided to assume that the two were related. He didn't smile, but his lips formed words.

"No problem."

There was a moment of silence and a bell tolled over the property. Naruto's vision drifted towards the sky and he squinted as the sun clipped his vision. It really was a beautiful day.

"Can we both treat you to lunch?"

Naruto felt his attention drift back towards the girl who was blushing somewhat wildly, and he felt a wry smile tug at his lips. "I don't like getting into cars with strangers."

The girl's eyes fell and she appeared vaguely disappointed. Naruto felt a surge of guilt, but in all honesty, the boy in the car intimidated him. Naruto found his eyes again and felt his chest tighten. Had he been staring at him the entire time? Naruto was surprised when the boy's lips parted.

"In that case, I'll introduce myself." Naruto heard the car's engine cease, and his muscles tensed as the boy stepped out of the vehicle. He was taller than Naruto by a few inches, and his figure was lean and attractive. Naruto glared at the hand that stretched towards him, somewhat surprised that handshakes still existed, and decided to take it with good intention. Bright blue eyes were boring into him, and he felt slightly naked. As if the boy could see through him with one glance. Naruto took his hand roughly.

"My name is Neji Hyuuga, and you really shouldn't be afraid of me."

Naruto licked his lips and smirked. "Naruto Uzumaki, and unfortunately for your ego, I'm not that easily frightened."

There was a moment where the two silently took each other in, searching for some sort of common grounds. Naruto wasn't entirely sure why he felt so defensive, but his heart was beating quickly, and his hand felt hot under the other boy's touch. The long haired boy was intelligent and was reading him like a book. He felt at odds, and was afraid the boy could tell that he was new to the area. If he maintained his confident composure, he was sure he could avoid any mishap.

"Um…My name is Hinata…" There was an awkward moment as Naruto remembered the girl standing beside them and he released hands with the boy. He looked own at her with a frown, somewhat ashamed that he had been paying her so little attention. She seemed shy and reserved, and Naruto had never been one to be rude.

"It's nice to meet the both of you," He commented, directing his comment mainly at Hinata. He could feel Neji smiling, and was surprised when the boy grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward, intentionally directing him towards the pea green hover car. He pushed his hands against the smooth metallic surface in order to brace his fall, and grunted as the solid gave way beneath his touch. He stumbled into the back seat of the car, cursing the fact he didn't recognize the surface as a door, and felt his muscles tense when he heard the door close behind him. He twisted his head towards the driver's seat and growled when Neji climbed in, locking the large fold out driver's door with a satisfied smirk on his face. Hinata had edged into the passenger seat, and Naruto could tell that she was apologetic for her cousin's actions. She was blushing and silent, a characteristic Naruto assumed he would have to adjust to.

"Look Nutcase, let me out of the car." Naruto was crunched in the back seat of the vehicle, knees grinding into the linoleum of the padded cushions and hands braced against the center armrest compartment. He attempted to crawl forward into a sitting position, but Neji floored the engine, sending him tumbling backwards. He hissed as his knee hit the rear of Neji's seat and he kicked it hard, causing a jerking brake from the driver.

"All of this trouble over a simple lunch," Neji commented lightly, and Naruto pushed himself upwards, watching as the school disappeared from his view. He cursed and looked at the thin armband watch Chouji had given him, noting that he had less than an hour before he had to meet with the boy. He knelt forward and lowered his voice.

"Look, I don't know what's going on but I'd really appreciate it if you let me out." There was no response, and Naruto grabbed the side of Neji's chair. "_Now_."

The boy laughed and Hinata looked at Naruto, an expression of pity passing her gentle features. She sighed. "Neji, he doesn't seem to like you. And what if he has classes? You'd be getting him into trouble."

Neji swept a bundle of hair behind his ears and grinned. "This one seems to like trouble."

Hinata raised an eyebrow and Naruto sat back in his seat numbly, the idea of arguing decidedly useless. He crossed his arms and sank into the chair as the car went onto an air ramp. He felt his stomach rise with the car and tried to focus on anything but his acrophobia. He breathed deep. "And what gave you that impression?"

The boy peered back at him and licked his lips, his eyes slim and translucent. "Well, for one, you're student identification card is a fake."

Naruto peered down at the makeshift badge, a tiny photo of himself widdled into the top left corner. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "So what, you're going to arrest me?"

Neji looked annoyed. "Haven't you been listening? I'm taking you to lunch." His voice had taken a somewhat serious turn and Naruto ran a hand through his hair. An idea occurred to him.

"Wait, like on a date or something?" His voice sounded disturbed.

The boy smiled unwittingly and his lips seemed to drip with sugar. "Of course. My treat even."

Naruto felt the hair on his neck stand on end and he sat forward, laughing nervously. "Ha ha ha, very funny. Look, I appreciate the offer—I mean, I'm flattered and all, but—" He had managed to come nearly inches from Neji's ear when the boy cut him off.

"Careful, we're pretty high." Neji's voice cut through his and Naruto's eyes drifted leftward, an overview of the city gleaming upward at him. People were dots on white strips of sidewalk and he felt his stomach grow thick with anxiety. He buried himself back into the seat, hands folded over his uneasy stomach and eyes clenched shut. His lips were pursed and he focused on easing the pictures from his mind, imagining that he was seated on his apartment bed, the rumbling underneath him simply the gentle hum of a neighbor's shower system. When the uncomfortable feeling brewing in his chest began to fade, Neji spoke again.

"Don't worry, we're almost there." His voice was laden with a concern Naruto hadn't thought possible and he ignored the boy. His head had begun to hurt and he found himself recalling what Chouji had mentioned earlier about his fear of heights.

He had always disliked heights, but the feeling he was suppressing was one he had never encountered before, even through all of the times Kiba had dragged him to Elitch Gardens and forced him onto roller coasters. He was nervous and clammy, and his stomach felt like a pretzel below his hands. It was unnatural and uncomfortable.

_Somehow_, he thought, _this is an aftereffect._

The car took a rapid descent and Naruto grimaced. His stomach seemed to rush into his throat as the car sped downward, and Naruto was surprised when there was a short pause and a cutoff of the engine. He kept his eyes closed until he felt a tug on the sleeve of his shoulder and then he slowly opened one eye. Neji was curved over the edge of the driver's seat, his eyes low and his mouth arched in distress. Naruto wondered if the boy felt guilty, and tensed when Neji ran a smooth finger across his cheek.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't realize you were afraid of heights."

Naruto waved his hand away and narrowed his eyes. "Well, you should probably know that I'm not gay either." He looked for a reaction from the other boy and was disappointed when he laughed.

"What an insult. To think you would denounce all men because of me."

Naruto shifted and rolled his eyes. Neji thought he was joking. He felt a breeze attack his left side as his door slid open and was relieved to see Hinata standing outside, extending her hand in an invitation. She smiled. "You'll feel better if you walk around a bit."

He contemplated staying in the vehicle, but the idea of solid cement beneath his sneakers was too appealing. He took Hinata's hand and pushed himself out, ignoring the satisfied look on Neji's face. As he stood on the pavement he glanced up around him, taking in all that he could about his whereabouts and admiring the intricate designs on all of the buildings. It reminded him of the hotel he had met Sasuke at, and he felt a blush rise to his cheeks. He mentally slapped himself, wondering why memories of that encounter constantly came to mind.

A hand wrapped around his waist and he grit his teeth. Neji pulled him forward and Naruto gently removed the lean extension from his hip. He sighed. "Look, I'm not that type of guy."

Neji seemed to get a kick out of irritating him, and the boy nodded. "Ah, I get it." His hand drifted down to Naruto's, pale fingers encircling tan. Naruto felt his eyes widen and he shook the boys hand away.

"I'm not that kind either!" He exclaimed, and Hinata laughed from in front of them. She turned back to face him and shook her head. "The more you challenge him, the more attached he'll become," she explained. Neji seemed content with the explanation and he slid a hand into the back pocket of Naruto's jeans. Naruto felt awkward and stopped on the sidewalk, causing the other boy to pause beside him.

"Look, you've put me through enough today. Can we save molestation for another occasion?"

Neji grinned and removed his hand, sliding it into his own pocket instead. He shrugged. "I suppose so."

Naruto silently thanked God and noticed that Hinata was quite a few feet in front of them. Neji seemed to notice as well, because he coughed in an attention getting sort of way.

"Hey babe, where are we eating?"

She turned almost flippantly and raised an eyebrow. "I want a sandwich."

Neji nodded and pulled Naruto against him as a larger man bustled by, his hand dancing dangerously close to Naruto's rear. As soon as he had shuffled by, Neji released him, the entire action completely casual. Naruto blushed. He felt like a girl.

Hinata turned into a small dinette, and Naruto followed Neji in, more afraid to be alone in a strange place than to eat with his two new acquaintances. The store was neatly decorated and busy, waiters and customers swiveling around in action. Naruto felt himself lean in closer to Neji, merely because several men were eying him hotly. He felt his stomach tense. Being sought after was uncomfortable, and he didn't like all of the attention. Neji didn't seem to mind as he and Hinata informed a server of their presence, asking for a table away from the general commotion.

Naruto's eyes drifted down towards the white latch watch on his wrist and an idea sifted into his mind. When Chouji had given it to him, he had mentioned something about text. He raised an eyebrow. If it was anything like text messaging, he could definitely pull it off. He needed to get a hold of Chouji. He peered up at the cousins and noted that they were paying little attention to him. He pulled the watch up close to his eyes, squinting in the dark lights to read the options provided by each little button he pushed. When he found one labeled text, he selected it, conveniently surprised when a number popped up labeled 'Chouji Akimichi." He scrambled to figure out how to put words and managed to get out 'sandwiches' and 'Cavinos', which appeared to be the name of the small restaurant they were dining in. He pressed a serries of buttons before one caused a big bold 'sent' to flutter across the screen. He felt accomplished and hoped it was enough for Chouji to come to his rescue.

"What are you smiling about?" Neji questioned, and Naruto was surprised to find the boy eyeing him with interest. He shrugged in response and Neji took his hand, leading him slightly forcefully behind Hinata towards a table. The table was in a back room that was fairly unoccupied and Naruto was grateful that the loud hum of human excitement had parted. He sat down in one of the chairs and noticed that the tables were a thick plexiglas material. He was even more surprised when he peered down at the space beneath him, only to find a digital computer screen facing back.

He laughed. "Is this an interactive menu?"

Hinata raised an eyebrow and blushed as the waiter set down three glasses of water, his eyes narrowed and questionable. Neji waved him away, and he whisked down a kitchen hallway, looking back at the blonde momentarily before disappearing into a white room Naruto assumed to be the kitchen. Neji leaned over to him and studied him closely.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Naruto felt his eyes dim and he blinked. "What was your first hint?"

Neji puckered his lips and his eyes darkened, causing Naruto to feel agitated. He was doing it again—scanning Naruto like a machine, reading and taking him in. Naruto pursed his lips.

"Where are you from?" It was more of a statement than a question and Naruto's lips began to move automatically.

"Australia."

This seemed to pull a smirk out of Neji, and Hinata coughed. "Are…are you sure?"

Naruto shrugged. "No."

Neji was still staring at him as he lowered his vision, eager to decipher the touch screen beneath him. He found a list of meal types and selected 'lunch'. He felt his lips pucker as he concentrated and he pegged through a list of meals that either sounded really good or incredibly bad. He had no idea what a fried hugnut was, but he seriously doubted he would like it. He grimaced. What was a blowfish burger? And what the hell was hugnut relish? He felt his mouth go dry as he examined the pictures.

"Um, where are the sandwiches?" He felt his pride drip away, sacrificing it for the sake of a decent meal. He allowed Neji to lean across him and peg through the choices on the menu. His hair brushed Naruto's face and Naruto could smell a hint of men's perfume on his neck. He inhaled the scent. It smelled good.

"There you go."

When Naruto glanced down the screen was formatted differently and the sandwiches looked all too familiar. He smiled as he located a typical club, and examined the ingredients to verify its originality. He took a deep breath as Neji's warmth vanished from his side and immediately shook away the feeling. He was perfectly straight. It was just a natural action for him to depend on the boy in his situation. He nodded his head and noticed that the waiter had returned. "All decided, Hyuuga?"

Neji nodded and waved his hand in a formal manner, his lips moving briskly to match the movement of his hand. "My usual, please."

Hinata licked her lips. "Sienna please."

Naruto felt awkward and the words, though very familiar to him, felt foreign. His mouth went dry. "The Club Sandwich, please."

The waiter nodded, scribbling a couple notes onto what reminded Naruto of the small electronic devices fed ex employees used to deliver packages and receive signatures. He smiled at the memory.

"So, Naruto. What do you do?" Hinata took a sip of her water and looked at him inquisitively.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm a student."

Neji put an elbow on the table and rested his head of his hand. His eyes looked strangely playful. "I thought we already proved that fact wrong."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I may not go to that university, but I'm still a student."

Hinata looked intrigued. "What do you study?"

Naruto knelt back against his chair. "My major was undecided, but I guess it would be science. Biotechnology maybe."

Neji lifted an eyebrow. "Was?"

Naruto looked at him and looked away in dismissal. "My education has been put on hold, temporarily."

Neji nodded and took a languid drink of water. He eyed Naruto curiously. "So, you study science. What kind of science?"

Naruto debated on how to answer the boy's question. In truth, he knew that he should have lied and said English or something, simply to lure the two away from the topic of cryogenics. But he was feeling lazy and somewhat irritated, especially because the situation had led from a kidnapping to an interrogation. He inwardly gave up. He doubted the duo would even believe him if he told them the truth. In fact, he relied on that doubt.

"Cryogenics research. Like I said, biotechnology."

Neji nodded. "That's strange. Not many schools offer that program."

Naruto played with his straw, squeezing it between his fingers. He looked up to Neji and made eye contact, surprised when the brilliant shade of blue assaulted his eyes.

"Sometimes the best education is dependent of what you do on your own." he said. It wasn't entirely false. Even at CU he had invested a great deal of his personal time to accomplish his research goals. School never had what you needed—it was always up to yourself to push past the expectations. He had learned that the hard way.

"That's true," Hinata said. She seemed to be thinking hard about something before she spoke next. "And what have you discovered about cryogenics?"

Naruto knelt in, taking a sip of the sweet liquid. He allowed the cold to flush through his mouth and moisten his throat. He wondered if he should specify that his interest branched into cryonics and he hesitated before answering.

"That it's not always what it seems." He felt Neji's eyes examine him and peered over, a look of confidence overwhelming his tanned features. He had invented something incredible, and was also one thousand years in the future. A part of him felt as though he had more wisdom that a great deal of people. He let that feeling radiate from his defiant glance, and was surprised when Neji's eyes drifted behind him. Naruto raised an eyebrow and began to turn slightly. Neji's voice was smooth and delicate.

"And _what _are you doing here?"

Naruto spun around and took in a site he hadn't expected. Chouji was planted behind him, a small flush painted on his cheeks. He looked as if he had rushed from school, and Naruto felt a little guilty. The boy rested a hand on the back of Naruto's chair. He took a few deep breathes before speaking.

"Well, I see that you've already met them, I guess."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and glanced at Neji and then to Hinata before returning his gaze to his friend.

"What are you talking about?"

Chouji's eyes widened and he glanced at the two cousins. "You mean...?"

Naruto waited for an explanation.

Chouji laughed. "Well, meet Neji and Hinata Hyuuga. The two presidents of Boushi Enterprises."

From behind them, the savory smell of food arrived, and the waiter shuffled by.

* * *


	9. The Merger

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** R

**Comments:** Revised Edition!

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

Within ten minutes of arriving, Chouji had placed himself rather agreeably to right left side of Naruto and had effectively given the waiter an entirely new meal to retrieve. The red hue of exertion had thinned from his cheeks and his eyes were calmer, obviously thankful for Naruto's choice in company. The blonde silently wondered how the round boy knew Neji so closely, especially because he assumed the leaders of a multimillion dollar corporation to be somewhat high profile but he contented himself with his sandwich in place of asking questions.

Neji, who had been sitting silently for a few moments, returned his fork to a plate of very thick and saucy noodles. He looked back and forth between the two boys, and Naruto pursed his lips, not entirely sure of what to say. Chouji seemed to feel the boy's hesitation because he knelt over the table top in conversation.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki. The intern candidate I mentioned a few days ago." He gestured loosely towards Naruto and Naruto took another bite. Neji nodded, the look of examination crossing his gentle features, before forking a bundle of noodles into his mouth. After he swallowed, he took a sip of water.

"You never told me that he's actually studied cryogenics." His voice had risen substantially, and Naruto could tell that he was searching for information between the two. He wasn't surprised. To someone intelligent to be a business owner at such a young age, the long haired man was entitled to suspicion. Naruto secretly wished he had been a little more contained with his previous words, but inwardly shrugged. There was no going back.

Chouji looked towards Naruto in an attempt to confirm what information Naruto had given out. His features looked slightly troubled and Naruto could sense that he was debating what Naruto had revealed about himself. Naruto swallowed a juicy piece of tomato and turned towards Neji.

"Chouji never knew that I took classes in cryogenics. He did know that I held an interest in science, though." He said the comment with nonchalance, stuffing a rounded potato chip into his mouth afterwards. Neji seemed to accept the excuse and Hinata took his place in asking a question.

"There's a wide variety of topics to study in that field. What exactly did you study?"

Naruto paused as Chouji's food arrived, waiting for the commotion of the arrival to disperse. When the waiter had successfully disappeared from the room, Naruto answered.

"Cryonic Preservation. Ways to avoid damage to cells and organs."

Neji smirked. "That's an awful big topic for one student to study on his own. Especially since the information you'd need for that is only located through Boushi or Uchiha Industries."

Naruto could sense Neji closing in on him, trying to trap him with words. He kept his mind calm, carefully planning his words. He had no idea how science worked in the future especially when it came to education, and apparently, cryogenics was a classified topic. He observed Neji's expression as he ate, noting how the boy watched him carefully. Naruto felt his stomach tighten. Did he know he was from the past? The gentle demeanor in the lean brunette's eyes told Naruto that Neji had seen right through him, even though his common sense demanded for him to stay calm. Chouji seemed nervous, and Naruto breathed.

"You can find anything on the internet, if you're good enough. And even if it's not directly related to cryonics, if you're smart enough, you can make the connection."

Neji's head tilted to the side and he nodded, smiling rather fluidly. "Good answer."

Naruto felt his eyes narrow, feeling more daring now that he had successfully diverted the Hyuuga's interrogation. He pulled his hands together and rested his chin on them, glaring intently at the pretty business owner.

"If you're suspicious of my knowledge, ask whatever you want."

Chouji seemed hesitant and Hinata looked intrigued. Her demeanor had changed slightly when she had been introduced as a company president, and Naruto could tell that aside form being shy, she was incredibly intelligent. Neji raised an eyebrow at him, his look of interest peaking.

"Have you found the answer?" Hinata's voice was low and almost demanding. It caught Naruto off guard, and Chouji felt the need to answer for him. "No, no—"

"Part of it. The only thing I need is a way to prevent thermonuclear stasis." Naruto's voice came out smooth and calm as he felt his tongue form the familiar words. Even if Neji was suspicious of his knowledge, there's not way he would assume that he was from the past. It was obvious because the first chamber had been created a year ago, at least through the knowledge that Shikamaru had given him.

"Impressive," Neji commented. His eyes had narrowed substantially, and Hinata's had as well. They both looked extremely focused, and Naruto felt a surge of confidence, though he wasn't entirely sure why. If the first chamber had been created, why did the duo look so desperate for his words? He felt a cold aura fill the table, and could see Chouji slink back into his chair, unaware of the intellectual transaction that was passing between the trio. Neji and Hinata seemed to be weighing options, and it wasn't until they met each other's eyes that a silent decision was reached. Neji turned to Naruto, his eyes brimming with a new type of curiosity, one completely unrelated to his apparent attraction to Naruto. It was purely intellectual, and completely professional. Naruto lowered his eyes.

"We're not going to hire you as an intern."

Naruto felt his stomach do a flip and his muscles tighten. The Hyuuga's lips moved slightly, a symbol that he wasn't finished talking, and Naruto kept quiet.

"If you really do know that much, you're going to work for us full time."

Naruto felt his tension release, and he could feel Chouji breathing deep beside him. The larger boy knelt forward. "I don't know about that—he's still pretty young and he doesn't have a full education." His words weren't insulting. Naruto felt as though the boy were trying to rescue him from the offer, but to Naruto, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. The closer he was to research, the more of a chance he would discover a way to return home, and the sooner he could return home, the sooner he could solve the mess he was in.

Neji was quick to reply to Chouji's comment. "If he knows anything about preservation, I could care less his level of education."

Hinata spoke in turn. "Besides, poorly educated people don't know about things like thermonuclear stasis. I doubt even you know what that means, considering your major is history."

Chouji quieted.

"If I accept your position, I want a guarantee that I'll have full access to all of your resources." Naruto's mind had been ages ahead of the conversation for a few minutes, and he was carefully planning what restrictions he couldn't afford to have. Resources was definitely one.

"Of course." Neji's voice was placid. "Of course, that means Uchiha's resources, too."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, the mention of the raven's name bringing back memories. He tried to contain a flush that overwhelmed his features. Neji smirked.

"There's a good chance that we'll be merging in the near future."

Naruto felt fireworks in his mind. The possibilities were becoming endless. He smiled.

"I'll gladly accept the offer," Naruto finally said, and was surprised when Neji raised his glass in resolve.

"Cheers then. To our new boy genius."

Naruto raised his glass wantonly, and grinned. Hinata smiled brightly, and Chouji appeared to be distraught. Naruto could sense a lecture, but was grateful they still had dessert to enjoy before the long hover flight home.

* * *

"What you said in there was completely unnecessary. He would have hired you based off of interest alone."

Naruto grimaced as Chouji plummeted the car into the air, the action matching the frustration in his voice. Naruto didn't feel guilty at all and slumped low into the seat in an effort to avoid looking out of the window. "The more I know, the more access I'll have."

Chouji rolled his eyes. "If you're not careful, you'll give away everything."

Naruto debated for a moment and licked his lips. "Even if people may be curious about my intelligence, I highly doubt they'll assume I'm a thousand years old."

Chouji let out a short raspy breath, one Naruto assumed to be form irritation, before yanking the vehicle to the right. Naruto hissed as his stomach did knots.

"Can you please not drive so fast?" Naruto rubbed a hand on his stomach. Chouji looked apologetic and Naruto felt the car ease into a steady flow. "You know, I think you should add motion sickness into your list of future illnesses."

"Noted." Naruto said, his voice soft. It was true, he had never had a problem with motion sickness before. There was another turn and he peeked out of the window. "Where are we going?"

The drive had seemed somewhat longer than Naruto had imagined, and Chouji seemed impressed. "Are you already picking up directions?"

Naruto laughed. "I wish. We've just never passed by those towers before." He pointed to a small clump of skyscrapers. Chouji nodded and dropped the car to a lower level. "To Shikamaru's. I'm sure he'll want to hear about this."

Naruto felt insecure. "Are you sure that's okay?"

Chouji nodded, and Naruto began to recognize a few of the buildings around him, especially a well designed parking garage. He sat up as the car drifted in, more comfortable now that the car was near the ground. When the car was parked, Naruto stepped out, stretching on the shaded blacktop. He was always crumpled in the seat of the car due to his acrophobia, and he always felt like a sardine when he got out. He followed Chouji into the building and was surprised when Shikamaru's door opened at a verbal command, and not from a key.

He took in all of the familiar sights and sounds, and was surprised when Shikamaru wandered into the living room wearing only a pair of loose knit pants complete with a fraying drawstring. Naruto grinned. It reminded him of his college life back home.

"Long time no see." The Asian boy said, and Chouji waved a hand instead of communicating verbally. Naruto nodded a hello and found his way to Shikamaru's couch, sliding with practiced ease into the fluffy bedding. He waited as Chouji found a seat beside him, and Shikamaru shuffled out of the kitchen with drinks.

Naruto took one out of habit, not entirely thirsty for new age soda. He popped the top anyway and took a polite sip. Shikamaru sat in an armchair across form him.

"How's the future been treating you?" he asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm getting around."

Chouji scoffed. "Boushi just hired him full time."

Shikamaru almost spit out his swig of soda, and he set the glass bottle down beside him. "And how did this happen?"

Chouji rose and eyebrow and glanced at Naruto. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how you met Neji…"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "He kidnapped me, thank you. Hence the message I sent you."

Chouji laughed and peered over at Shikamaru, preparing to elaborate. "He sent me a two word text through his Icon. When I arrived at the restaurant, he was eating peacefully with Hyuuga Corporate."

Shikamaru's concentration seemed to have peaked, and he bit a fingernail. "Hmm. I'm not sure it was a coincidence that he found you, Naruto."

Naruto raised and eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru took a deep breath. "Well, Sasuke's been looking for you, for one thing. And blonde boys are rare to find…especially well educated ones."

"Yeah, Neji did say something about Boushi and Uchiha Corp. merging."

Neji seemed put off by the comment and he shook his head. "Wait, Neji said that?"

Naruto nodded and Chouji followed in suite. Shikamaru picked up his drink and seemed to be thinking hard.

"Be careful…I have a feeling Neji knows more than he's letting on. This merger has been in attempt for a while now…it just seems weird that Neji's decided to confirm the deal now. More specifically, after meeting you."

Naruto shrugged. "I could care less about the politics between the companies. I just want to get home."

Chouji chuckled. "We know. But that doesn't mean you can't play it safe. All of the information you gave them today has made you extremely valuable."

"Let me guess, you told them about your studies?" Shikamaru seemed more annoyed than Chouji had been. Naruto nodded anyway, and shook his head.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. You said a cryochamber was created last year, so why does it matter what I know?"

This question drew a long pause from the two close friends, and they both glanced at each other in the search for the correct wording. Naruto's eyesight drifted between the both of them before Shikamaru spoke.

"Who do you think made the cryochamber?"

Naruto answered quickly. "You said...'Fang'?"

"The company is called White Fang. It's pretty new, but extremely powerful…it came out of nowhere with knowledge far beyond anyone else's."

Naruto's mind seemed to click. "So, Uchiha and Boushi need me and my knowledge." It was a statement.

"To be honest, if you give them what they need," Shikamaru said, "The fact you're from the past won't matter. If it gets out, that is."

Chouji hissed. "I don't think telling them is a good idea."

"No, I don't either. But if in the future, if it comes out, Naruto will definitely have the protection of the two largest companies in New America."

Chouji seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding. "You're right. Especially considering Uchiha's been looking for him."

Naruto was a little confused and he rubbed his head. "Um, what?"

Chouji laughed. "Well, think about it. What will companies protect above anything?"

Naruto shifted and didn't answer.

Shikamaru filled in the blank. "Assets, Naruto. And if you play your cards right, you could end up being their most valuable one."

Naruto nodded and frowned. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be an asset, but if it got him home, he was willing to do what he had to do. From beside him, Chouji's watch went off.

"Your Icon ring is so annoying," Shikamaru stated, and Naruto silently agreed. It was high pitched and shrieky, and Chouji seemed disgruntled when he read whatever text had come through. After a moment of silence he turned to Naruto.

"It looks like you have your first assignment tomorrow."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably, nervous because Chouji seemed to be so.

"What is it?"

Chouji almost smirked. "Private meeting with Uchiha and the Hyuuga's."

Naruto felt his mind spin. He really wasn't ready to see that man again.

* * *


	10. Done Deal

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised!

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

The moon was full and bright in the evening sky when Naruto arrived back to his small studio, and he could tell that his eyes were red from all of the tired rubbing he had abused them with. He had always been one to fall asleep on car rides, and the fact that he had spent most of the day debating intellectually didn't help his exhaustion. His mind drifted to his earlier conversations as he removed his shirt, noting how his apartment was unusually hot and stuffy. He collapsed on his bed, smothering his eyes with the length of his arm.

_I have to be more careful_, he thought.

Neji and Hinata were sure to be suspicious of him if he continued to leak important information, and he planned to make a goal of only revealing what was necessary for the research aspect of his job. He knew that the duo had given him the opportunity of a lifetime, and even if it was only for themselves, Naruto couldn't help but see the benefits for himself. He felt a smile tug at his lips and he rolled over, pulling a body-length flannel pillow under his head. He felt his eyes glue shut and his lips parted to take in air.

_Tomorrow I'll see_ him.

The thought barely brushed his mind, but his eyelashes flickered against the soft bridge of his cheeks in response. _Maybe…Maybe I can get him to help me see Sakura_…

It wasn't long before sleep took over.

* * *

The first thing Naruto realized was that he was late.

As his mind realized he had twenty minutes to get to the Uchiha Corporate office, his body jumped into action, dressing in nearly five minutes and set to leave in less than seven. He had chosen the most work appropriate outfit he owned, not anything near what he would have chosen if he was one thousand years in the past, but well enough considering Shikamaru and Chouji had donated quite the wardrobe to his cause.

He straightened an awfully narrow tie against the pleated cover of a black button up, and ran some water through his hair and over his tired face. He stared at his reflection for a few moments before taking a deep breath and departing, coming to a dead halt the moment he stepped outside of his dorm. Shikamaru's car was parked succinctly outside, and the Asian boy was peering out, an annoyed frown plastered on his pale features.

"About time. Get in or we're going to be late!"

Naruto raised and eyebrow and locked his door, jogging lightly to the passenger side of his friend's car. He glanced through the window.

"What are you doing here?"

Shikamaru popped the door open and Naruto clambered in, taking the invitation gratefully. He had intended on catching an astro bus, but the idea of riding with Shikamaru seemed much more welcoming.

"You think I would let you attempt your way around this city on your own? You're crazy."

The car sped up in full force, and Shikamaru apologized as Naruto hunkered down, a habit that was becoming normality. The car sped through the sky like a missile and Naruto twisted his fingers into a knot. Shikamaru seemed to have noticed and he rubbed Naruto's head, ruffling his hair.

"Hey--!"

"Oh, please. Calm down. Just remember not to say anything too in depth. I'm sure Neji wants to use you as a bonus for the merger."

Naruto sighed and shook his head. Though he was excited for the new opportunity, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

"What's wrong?" Shikamaru questioned and Naruto shifted in his seat.

"I'm not nervous about any of that. I'm nervous about seeing_…him_."

Shikamaru seemed to be in deep contemplation for a moment before he responded with a reflective nod. Naruto fiddled with his tie; he had never liked wearing them.

The vehicle they were driving in came to a slow stop, and Naruto was grateful to hear the gentle crunch of gravel beneath its hull. He pulled himself out, eager to follow Shikamaru to his location. It was convenient that Shikamaru worked for Sasuke, and the blonde couldn't help but feel like he had struck a goldmine with the friends he had found. He was lucky to not be alone and he silently thanked whatever being had made him so fortunate.

"Look, don't worry. Sasuke can be intimidating, and I'm sure Neji will _more_ than defend you against him. At least, that's what Chouji told me. He and Neji go back."

Naruto nodded anxiously and followed Shikamaru into a giant glass corporate building. Naruto felt his jaw loosen when he took in the inside surroundings, letting gentle carpet floors tickle the soles of his shoes and thick marble reception desks awe his eyes. Shikamaru waved off one of the guards and they let both he and Naruto pass, although not without giving him a strange look. Jogging up to Shikamaru's side, Naruto tailed the Asian closely into a glass encased elevator. When Shikamaru pressed an opaque knob labeled 37, Naruto groaned and turned to face the doorway, in no way eager to watch as the contraction soared hundreds of feet upwards, overlooking the entire inner lobby of the building. Shikamaru stood close to him as a few other passengers entered on a lower floor, and decided to distract him.

"This entire building is a homestead for Uchiha Corporate, but the 37th floor is where all corporate meetings and trainings are held."

Naruto nodded, sucking in Shikamaru's words in order to divert his attention from the creeping feeling of nausea in his stomach. Shikamaru continued.

"Sasuke usually occupies the upper floors with his personal assistants and whatnot. Like I said before, I rarely see him."

The machine seemed to rumble to a stop and when the button labeled 37 clicked off, Naruto practically fell out of the elevator, Shikamaru apologizing to the people he had nearly tumbled over. When the door closed, Shikamaru almost laughed. "We need to get you some medication."

Naruto scowled. "Not funny." He paused and raised his head. "And no insurance. Unless you're still accepting United Healthcare."

Shikamaru motioned Naruto towards a pair of oak doors, and the blonde obeyed.

"Healthcare is free to all citizens." He stated, and Naruto sighed. "Figures."

A giant conference table was hidden behind the massive oak doorway, and when Naruto entered he realized that Neji and Hinata had already arrived. He sifted in, taking seat next to Hinata uncomfortably. His nerves were biting at his confidence, and he felt himself wishing Shikamaru would stay. Judging by the Asian boy's occupied demeanor, Naruto assumed that wouldn't be the case. His friend was already heading out fo the doors, a small 'Good luck' hanging loosely in the air. When the door closed, Naruto turned to meet the other two.

"Hello," Neji soothed, his voice smooth and friendly. Hinata smiled and passed him a glass cup and an elegant pitcher of water. Naruto swallowed hard and poured himself a cup, a polite smile creasing his cheeks. He sat idly, and felt a question escape his mouth.

"Um, I don't mean to be blunt, but what exactly are we doing today?"

Neji laughed and began to fiddle with a cufflink on his left sleeve.

"If all goes well, we'll be merging with Uchiha."

Naruto felt surprised and couldn't keep his eyes from widening. He set his glass down.

"Should I be here for that? I mean, I just got hired yesterday." Not that he was opposing the opportunity, simply the catch. Though the future was new to him, some procedures were not, and taking a new employee to a merger was either a challenge for the employee, or some hidden motive. Naruto recalled Shikamaru's earlier words and narrowed his eyes.

"It's because of my knowledge, right?" The words left his mouth before he could stop them, and Neji smirked.

"Smart boy," he commented.

Hinata decided to fill in the blanks. "Both we and Uchiha have been searching for a way to, well, monopolize the scientific community, but in light of some other companies and there progressions, we've been unable to do so."

Naruto nodded. "Ah."

"So, in order to surpass them is to use the information you have—although from where, we're still quite curious."

Naruto felt his defense mode kick in and he replied swiftly. "I told you to ask me questions if you had doubts on my education and research yesterday…It's not going to be comfortable for me to work with you if I feel like you're always questioning my motives."

Neji slid a hand across the table and brushed Naruto's wrist; and intimate gesture. His eyes were low and brilliant. "Well, Naruto, how can I make you comfortable?"

Naruto felt his lips purse and he held back a flush from overwhelming his cheeks. How were the people in this time so flirtatious? And above that, Naruto was even more concerned about how drawn to Neji he was. In the past, if a man had said something like that to him, he probably would have punched him. But now, why had things changed?

Naruto looked away from the boy, a blush dusting his features. He shook his head and breathed deep, still not satisfied with the corporate resolution.

Not more than a second passed before the doors to the room swung open, and Naruto's eyes raced to the cause of the distraction. A pile of people were entering, all of which Naruto assumed to be related to the Uchiha Corporation, but one in particular stood out. Naruto felt his chest tighten and his pulse quicken.

Uchiha Sasuke had entered the room, his professional pinstriped suit the same as Naruto had recalled it, spare a rather loose looking tie dangling form his neck. The mishap was immediately remedied as one of his workers kneaded the two strands in order to tighten it, and Sasuke stood rather confidently in front of the trio.

His workers shuffled around the room, dispatching papers and packets to the three individuals, while also placing folders and notebooks in front of the head of the table, assumably where Sasuke would be seated. After a few minutes of prompt bustling Sasuke cleared his throat and the assistants began to exit, carefully doing a double over the room to ensure that their tasks had been completed. After the last person had left, Sasuke walked briskly to his chair and sat, his eyes narrow and his lips wet. He clicked a pen into action and cleared his throat for a second time.

"Neji, Hinata. Having you here is a pleasure." His voice was like liquid ice, and Naruto felt a chill run down his spine. He wondered if Sasuke remembered him or if he was just attempting to avoid confrontation for the sake of business.

"You as well, Sasuke. It's been a while." Neji's voice was calm and practiced, and Naruto felt an immediate tension between the two. They were obviously rivals, and Naruto saw Hinata tense slightly at the gentle introduction between the boys. She smiled weakly.

"Uchiha, Sir, this is Naruto Uzumaki. I'm sure you are curious as to why we are here, and I can tell you that he is the first reason."

Sasuke's eyes drifted to Naruto's and Naruto inwardly slapped himself when his face heated up. He drank a small sip of water to calm his irritation and then met Sasuke's eyes with a new confidence. He was on a mission—no matter how awkward the company. Sasuke's expression didn't change, he merely glanced back to Neji.

"I don't like games and I'm not the type to be curious. What is it you wanted to discuss?" His tone was cold.

Neji tilted his head downwards, an action that sent his hair pouring onto the table. He was facing Sasuke and Naruto could see his ephemeral eyes blink under thick lashes. "Impatient, as always."

He ran a hand through his hair and Sasuke looked annoyed. Sensing the irritation, Neji straightened and began.

"I want to accept the merger. Together, with this kid, we have the ability to outsource Fang." This seemed to bring a reaction from the Uchiha, and his eyes drifted casually to Naruto.

"And how is that?" The raven questioned.

Hinata took the opportunity to speak, her voice clear and precise. "He knows enough about preservation to prevent cell distortion."

Sasuke was silent for a moment before standing rather abruptly. He held a notebook in his hand and shook his head.

"This meeting is over." He began to walk towards the door, and Naruto saw Neji ball his fists. The brunette stood quickly, irritation grit through his teeth.

"And what does that mean?"

Sasuke turned and eyed Naruto before glaring at the tall boy. "If you think bringing some blonde dobe in here is going to convince me to merge with you, you're out of your mind."

Naruto felt his insides tighten and his teeth grind. He opened his mouth to retort but Neji beat him to the chase.

"Why don't you at least listen to us before you throw away the opportunity of a lifetime?"

Sasuke stood still for a moment, his eyes drifting back and forth between Neji and the blonde, his eyes unchanging with emotion. After a minute, he placed his notebook on the table.

"Get out," he commented. Naruto blinked and Neji raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I want to hear it from him, so you two," he pointed ot the door, "Get out."

Naruto's eyes met Neji's and he could tell that he looked helpless. Being left in a room alone with Sasuke wasn't what he had bargained for at all, and he felt his nerves rattle. Neji's eyes looked intense, and Naruto could tell that he was weighing options carefully. His jeweled eyes glistened under the harsh office lights and he glanced down to Naruto thoughtfully.

"Just be honest," he said and motioned for Hinata to leave with him. Naruto stood up as they both began to exit.

"What, you're leaving _me_ alone with _him_ to close _your_ deal?"

Neji shrugged. "Misery is business, kid."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as the door slid shit behind the duo and he was left alone with the tall raven haired business owner. He watched as Sasuke's eyes surveyed him with an irrational distaste before the boy wandered to the seat located directly across from him. When he sat, Naruto spoke.

"It's obvious you don't trust me." He said, and was surprised when Sasuke almost smiled. It was a cold smile, and Naruto held his composure. It was difficult, especially when the raven's dark eyes seemed to pull him in. They were similar to Neji's—constantly reading him. Absorbing everything he did or said, like a sponge. He had to look away.

"What was your first guess, dobe?"

Naruto leered back, his eyebrow raised. "What does that mean, anyway?"

Sasuke sat backward, his face appearing somewhat stale. "It means you're an idiot."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm an idiot because you mistook me for a prostitute?"

Sasuke growled and slammed his fist on the table. "I could have you arrested for that little stunt," he supplied, and Naruto shook his head, avoiding the brown eyes that were devouring him so intensely.

"It wasn't a stunt. I had no intention of meeting you." Though Naruto was stating the truth, he couldn't help but say the words with a cold esteem. He crossed his arms and sat back in the chair, paying no attention to the crumpled corner of his shirt that was sure to wrinkle. He felt like a little kid pouting, but in truth, he was slightly embarrassed about the entire situation. Sasuke was quiet for a moment before pacing over to Naruto's side and sitting in the chair that Hinata had been seated in.

Naruto looked up cautiously and frowned. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Is this another stunt or do you really know about cryogenics?" His face was completely serious, and Naruto glared in return. Memories of their first encounter kept replaying in his mind and he fought back a blush.

"I know what I'm talking about." Naruto stated, and he looked away as Sasuke leaned in closer. Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke caught his chin with soft fingers.

"Why can't you look at me?" The Uchiha's eyes were light and focused, and Naruto felt his breath hold.

_What am I thinking?_

Naruto twisted from the man's grip and knelt forward, closing the gap between them in a position that pushed his dominance over Sasuke. He glared down at the other boy.

"My forte is cryonics. I've studied cryogenics enough to know how to preserve mammals without prolonged damage to organs. The brain's another story. You either want me," He knelt in closer, letting his voice grow lower and more demanding, "Or you don't."

Naruto had closed the distance between them by such a measure that their noses were nearly touching. He grazed the raven's eyes with his own, trying to read the raven as well as he read him. He didn't expect Sasuke to lean forward and touch his lips against his own, and above that, he didn't expect to sit through it without a fight. It was a gentle kiss, and Sasuke's tongue ran subtly over his lower lip, a motion that made Naruto close his eyes.

_What am I doing?_

Naruto pushed himself backwards and stood up, wiping his lips softly, his eyes still closed, absorbing the feeling Sasuke had given him. He shook his head and began to walk towards the door. He could feel a smirk on the Uchiha's face. Before his door hit the handle, Sasuke spoke.

"You said at the hotel that you weren't gay." He stated, and when Naruto glanced to him he could see that Sasuke's eyes were amused.

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, and what of it?"

Sasuke grinned, a smile that sent Naruto's stomach into tension.

"Are you sure?"

Naruto didn't answer before leaving the room, motioning for the two Hyuuga's to take over.

* * *

A/N-- I feel bad erasing all of my previous author's notes...I'm going to try to keep some of them for the later chapters, okay? Again, thanks for all of your patience! 


	11. The Talk

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised...

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

Naruto debated on returning to the conference but couldn't bring his legs to carry him into the room. He was seated clumsily on a decorative couch, an occasional passerby lending him curious looks. He ignored them without a great deal of effort, his mind focused on yet another awkward encounter with Sasuke Uchiha.

His lips felt numb from the brief interaction, and Naruto felt the color drain from his cheeks as he relived his second kiss with the corporate mogul. He licked his lips and shook his head, wondering how he had been taken advantage of--again. He glanced at his Icon, shaking his head numbly as he briefly wondered what the trio could be discussing, and rubbed his eyes in frustration.

It wasn't as if he was surprised at Sasuke's actions, more that he was disappointed in how he had reacted. He had never met a person that he was unable to fight back against, and more than that, he had never met someone he felt totally powerless against. It wasn't threatening, and it wasn't demanding, but there was certain commanding nature in Sasuke's dark eyes that made Naruto feel completely at odds.

It was rare that Naruto could have a good intellectual argument, and it was obvious to him that Sasuke was a brilliant man, even if he was very physical. It was an attribute that Naruto was attracted to, though the kiss had been over the top, and Naruto felt as though he had been waiting for someone with Sasuke's traits and resources for the entire time that he had been in the future. It worried him though, because no matter how clever he thought Sasuke was, he himself wasn't gay.

He had a _fiancée_, after all.

His cheeks felt heavy and he rubbed the soft bulge of his lips, embarrassed that he could still feel Sasuke's pressed against his own. He sighed.

The door to the conference room budged, and Naruto peered up, surprised to see Neji exit, a serious expression on his face. He only opened the oak door enough to allow himself through, and closed it lightly behind him. Naruto raised an eyebrow at the lean figure and rested his head on the palm of his hand, waiting for the blue-eyed boy to make contact with him. It was momentary.

The Hyuuga approached him, his movements fluid and elegant, and took a seat to Naruto's right. Naruto followed him and he stayed silent, even though his eyes were wide in wait for a comment. Neji grinned at him and lowered his eyes, a movement that Naruto was beginning to find more and more attractive. He inwardly groaned.

_What is happening to me?_

"Uchiha can be intimidating. I'm sorry for his actions." Neji's comment was loose, and Naruto got the sense that Neji didn't really know what had happened, but in the least was trying to compensate for it. Naruto felt his embarrassment fade, and the original anger he had felt returned.

"I don't understand why everyone here is so physical."

He felt as if his pride had been hit hard by Sasuke, and he felt even more on edge as Neji slid a hand onto his thigh. He tensed, and Neji glanced up to him, searching him reproachfully. His eyes were examining again and Naruto felt annoyed. He could tell that the Hyuuga wanted to ask him questions, most likely about what had happened, and above that, why Naruto was hesitant with male attention. Neji always seemed to hold his questions in, and Naruto felt no pity for the boy as he appeared to be coming to some sort of conclusion on his own. Naruto waited for him to speak.

"There are a few conditions to the merge, and they mostly apply to you. I'll explain them, and I want you to tell me your honest views."

Naruto wondered why everything was so dependent on him, and vaguely imagined how important his knowledge was to both of the companies. He nodded and Neji continued.

"The first stipulation is that you give all of us a detailed presentation on your theory and knowledge. After that, you'll be working on a series of projects for Uchiha."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Projects?"

Neji sat back, his form draping over the comfortable backing of the loveseat. He sighed.

"I think Sasuke wants to test your working abilities, and to be honest, I'm not too opposed to it." Neji's hand began to roam the seam of Naruto's pants and Naruto quickly removed it. Hew as angry, and his features curled.

"I'm not going to give away something that took me forever to discover just to be thrown aside to do _projects_."

Neji returned his hand to Naruto's leg, and Naruto eyed it with irritation. It began to move higher and higher and Neji spoke casually, his voice smooth and convincing.

"No one would take the idea way from you. We would just want our scientists to be in charge of the development." His hand was soft and tickled, and Naruto jumped up, ruffling his hair and growling.

"What is wrong with you people? Who has a normal conversation while groping someone!?"

Naruto brushed at his thigh, wiping away the prickly sensation that Neji's ministrations had caused. He rolled his eyes and glared at the boy, who was eyeing him with a curious intelligence. Naruto fumed.

"And stop looking at me that way. If you have questions, ask them—don't keep making assumptions about me."

This seemed to catch Neji off guard, and the smirk on his face faded. He looked serious once again and Naruto crossed his arms in defiance.

"I'm not making assumptions about you. I'm just trying to figure out what your motives are."

Naruto blinked and licked his lips. "My motives? My only motive is to perfect cryopreservation. Believe me, if I had a greater goal in life, I'd tell you." It was the truth considering Naruto only planned on researching and returning home. He rested his weight on one foot, and avoided eye contact with the thick haired business owner.

"If that's the case, Sasuke wants you to work directly beneath him."

Naruto glared at the boy, his expression cold for his usually optimistic demeanor. His bright blue eyes darkened, he could feel it under the building emotion in his mind. He tapped his fingers against the lengths of his arms and eyed the Hyuuga, waiting for an explanation.

"Uchiha said that if you were serious, menial jobs would make you angry. And about being under him—Sasuke's got more security than we do. If you worked under us, information would surely leak."

Naruto turned as the oak door opened again, and Sasuke emerged, his lips turned downward in thought. He looked as if he had grown bored waiting, and his features were somewhat tired. Naruto turned to him hastily, his eyes narrowed. He was now fully aware that Neji and Sasuke were suspicious of him and his knowledge, and was wondering just what type of compromise they would all come to. Sasuke, who had obviously heard the last segment of the conversation, spoke first.

"You think we're babysitting you," he said softly, and Naruto puckered his lips.

"I'm not a kid, I'm an adult. I know what I'm talking about and I don't have any motives that would affect the research of either of your companies."

"But you do have motives." Sasuke said.

"My only goal is to perfect cryopreservation." Naruto stated. His voice was beginning to rise.

"Just out of curiosity, what made a boy like you so interested in cryogenics?" Neji asked.

Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets, his tone growing irritated. "I've always liked science."

"But cryogenics is a tough subject."

"It's a challenge."

"But you're just a kid, and information on it is hard to find."

Naruto laughed irritably. "I'm not sure where this is going, but if both of you only intend on interrogating me, I'm tempted to leave."

Neji stood up and shook his hands defensively. "I'll be straight then," But Sasuke interrupted.

"Look, do you work for Fang?" His tone was cold and dark. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Blue eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "No."

Sasuke shifted. "Are you sure? It would be best if you answered truthfully."

Naruto glared. "No, I do not work for Fang."

He locked eyes with the Uchiha, angry and intimidated. His frustration for the boy was overwhelming him, and the fact both of them believed that he was a spy wasn't helping the situation. He felt himself pale, and he fingers had stopped moving. He blinked fluidly, his eyes narrowed and focused, allowing Sasuke to take all of his emotions in. The raven haired boy looked away.

"Will you work under me?" Though Sasuke was looking at Neji, the question was directed to Naruto. The blonde stood for a moment, debating on whether or not to take the position. He could feel a growing tension between the two other boys and what disappointed to realize that he was the cause. He felt annoyed and slightly put off. The thought of telling them the truth even crossed his mind, but he stifled the words from leaving his lips. He groaned.

"Give me your resources and I'll give you my time. I'll tell you all of my theories, but only after you've hired me."

Sasuke glanced at him with interest, and Neji ran a hand through his hair. There was a swift breeze of relief that flooded the room, and Naruto still felt angry. Now, aside from doing research and concocting a way to return to the past, he was faced with a much more morbid criteria—avoid being suspect. His knowledge was sure to be more than what the two boys had, and he was sure it would make heads turn. He would have to be clever, and he would have to depend on Shikamaru and Chouji to help him. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Are we done?" he asked.

Neji looked towards Sasuke and the raven nodded, signaling the birth of a new enterprise. Hinata carefully exited from the room, a frown painted on her face.

"I know that I am a woman, but you could at least involve me in important stipulations." Neji put a hand on her shoulder and nodded to Sasuke and Naruto.

"We've got to organize our development. Get the right people in the right places. We'll be in touch."

They began to walk towards the elevator, and Neji was explaining the situation to Hinata. Naruto turned to follow, but a strong hand on his shoulder halted his action. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowed at the older man. Naruto absently noted how much taller Sasuke was, and felt his eyes narrow defensively as Sasuke began to speak.

"I told Neji that the only way I would merge is if he gave me you," there was no flirtation in his voice, though his eyes were somewhat strained. Naruto cleared his throat and Sasuke moved closer to him, forcing him back onto the loveseat he had been sitting previous. The Uchiha lowered his figure over the blonde's, repeating the dominating action Naruto had pulled earlier. Naruto didn't flinch, he only glared as the gentle features of Sasuke's face came closer to his.

"I am not gay, Sasuke." The words were blunt and direct, and Sasuke's eyes seemed to perk. Naruto continued to search the raven's eyes, amazed at how dark they were. Like black holes, sucking in whoever dared to look deep enough into them.

Sasuke lightly kissed Naruto, but Naruto didn't react. He stared solemnly and felt his eyebrows indent, a mark of anger on his tan face. Sasuke pulled back, searching for a reaction, and also willing to respond to Naruto's comment.

"It's not your body I want, it's your brain." The comment was placid, and Naruto debated on acting offended. He kept level eye contact with Sasuke before retorting.

"Then why do you keep kissing me?" His voice was like liquid against the Uchiha's chin.

Sasuke almost smiled and stood up, excusing himself from the staring contest they were competing with. He ran a hand through his slick black hair and straightened his tie.

"You want what you can't have, I suppose." He said.

Naruto stood up and began to walk towards the elevator, carefully dodging the man as he did so. As the elevator door opened for him, he heard Sasuke speak again.

"That's a saying from your time, right?" Naruto turned quickly to meet the Uchiha's eyes, but the raven had already disappeared into the long hallways of Uchiha corporate.

* * *

"Don' worry, it's covered." 

Naruto eyed the taxi driver lucidly, knowing full well that Sasuke had tipped the driver before his departure. He only nodded at the thin man before turning towards the familiar structure that was a parking garage. He didn't quite have the energy to return to his studio, and his mind was still numb with the Uchiha's solemn comment.

The meeting had taken up a good majority of the day, and the sun was low on the horizon, making Naruto squint as he walked in its direction to enter the elevator hallway. He traveled to the ninth floor and exited with placid haste, anxious to see Shikamaru but nervous all in the same. He needed a friend, and he needed advice. He hoped that he could find it with Shikamaru, simply because he had no where else to turn.

He found the door and rapped slowly, an action that would signify that it was him and no one else. Apparently knocking was a lost tradition, and Chouji often poked fun at him for doing it. There was a rustling, and the door slid upward, Shikamaru motioning for him to enter from across the room. The Asian boy was perched attentively on his couch, watching a sport that Naruto was unfamiliar with. Naruto entered and pressed a button that made the door close.

"Nice to see you, too." Naruto said soundly, before taking a seat next to Shikamaru. The boy motioned for him to be quiet, and stared intently at the screen. Naruto followed his vision, glancing at the awkward mix of football and hockey, his eyes bored. He had never been a sports fan and he knew that this wouldn't be his ice breaker. Something significant happened, though, because Shikamaru clapped and cheered as a ball spun into a net. The game seemed to be over, and Naruto waited patiently for his friend to acknowledge his presence. When the game faded to a news program, the pony tailed boy turned it off, turning to Naruto slowly.

"Sorry about that. How'd it go today?" He looked enthused, and it made Naruto feel on edge. He had never seen the boy so…so _perky._

"Good. Both companies have decided to merge." His voice wasn't stimulated which caused Neji to raise an eyebrow. "Under what pretenses?"

Naruto sighed. "I'll be working directly under Uchiha. Who kissed me. Twice, by the way."

A sly grin spread over Shikamaru's face and he chuckled. "A lot of people wouldn't be upset over that."

"I think he may have guessed that I'm not from this time period, too."

"What!?" Shikamaru knelt forward on the couch, shoving pillows forward in the process. "What do you mean?"

Naruto bit his lip in thought. "I don't know. He just says…_things_. He likes to mess with me, I think."

Shikamaru sat back on the couch, a thoughtful expression creasing his brow.

"It's not wrong for you to be attracted to him, you know."

Naruto puffed his lips. "It is when you're straight and have a fiancée."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Yeah, one that's completely M.I.A."

Naruto growled. "She probably is unable to do anything, waiting for someone to help!"

The Asian chose not to respond but his features indicated that he thought Naruto to be naïve. He took a sip of a bottled drink in his hand, and shook his head.

"That's not what I meant. Look, sexuality is a social phenomenon. If a guy kissed you in your time, you would feel comfortable punching him, right? That's only because it's not 'normal'…not even that, it's just not common. But here it is common, so you feel guilty—out of place even. Attraction has nothing to do with gender, Naruto."

Naruto blinked and looked incredulous.

"Don't look at me like that. It's been proven. Yates—the psychologist of the 29th century." He looked confident.

Naruto sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "What should I do about him knowing about me?"

Shikamaru looked thoughtful. "What do you want to do about it?"

Naruto glared. "You're going to tell me to act on my intuition?"

The Asian boy finished his drink and set it on a nearby table. "You know more about what you need to do than me. And, if he already knows, it may be best that you two come clean. I would make sure he knows first, though. For sure."

Naruto chuckled nervously and Shikamaru patted his shoulder.

"Remember when I said the two companies would probably end up defending you? You're already in, so calm down. Take a week to settle in and see where things go. Figure out if Sasuke knows, and we'll go from there."

Naruto nodded and ran his hands through his hair.

It was going to be a long week.

* * *

A/N-- After re-reading, I've noticed that Shikamaru has a lot of..."What!?" moments. It made me laugh--I never noticed before.

I write things subconsciously, I think.


	12. Searching for Clues

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised Edition

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

Working under Sasuke Uchiha was not fun.

In fact, one could almost say that it was premeditated torture.

Naruto vaguely wondered if assignments were only given to him, simply because he felt like a racehorse dodging around the large corporate threshold, collecting information and dispersing it like a corporate slave. It was a miracle that Microsoft Word had stuck around. After about a half hour of fiddling, he had managed to master the program well enough to begin typing up a series of product reports, all of which required a special insert of his personal opinions and recommendations for the line of merchandise presented. He groaned inwardly as his fourth hour dragged by, clutching a ballpoint pen in his fist with frustration.

He knew the work would be difficult, but in all fairness, Sasuke seemed to be a slave driver.

He knelt back in a comfy white padded chair, staring at the blank cubicle walls that surrounded his miniature workstation, glaring at the pile of papers that loomed before him. They were threatening and smeared with numbers and paragraphs, and statistics that Naruto couldn't even begin to address. He sighed and pulled his arms above his head, stretching until he could feel and angry tightening in his neck. Who was he trying to kid, anyway? He wasn't the sit-and-formulate type of guy. He was active and athletic, tan and full of energy—characteristics that did not fit with painful and agonizing life of sticky notes and sharpie pens.

If sharpies still existed.

Naruto rolled his eyes and took in the silence of the world around him. Or lack of silence, depending on personal opinion.

The light clacking of computer keys sounded slightly like a far off swarm of bees, and a cough could be heard at the other end of the giant square room that had been expertly divided into a plethora of compact cubicles. Naruto knew that he didn't have any people working in the stations surrounding him, and in all honesty, he preferred it that way. The less distractions, the better. Especially when he had a computer in front of him with a working internet connection—and Naruto knew, as did most college students, that a working internet connection meant many opportunities. And at the moment, he couldn't help but feel the urge to do some more research on Sakura.

A shuffle sounded from the exterior of his cubicle, and he sat forward quickly, leaning methodically over the stack of papers heaped on his work area. Someone was walking by, and in case it was someone important, Naruto wanted to look busy. He picked up the first stapled packet, letting his eyes carelessly roam the title.

_Planter's Peanuts_, it read.

Naruto nodded and let a sound of surprise leave his lips. It was strange how many companies he recognized. In fact, it was bizarre.

He ignored the eerie development and flipped the packet open, and action he had already repeated several times. His eyes flew through the product information, and then over the list of campaigning ideas. Most of them were commercial ideas, but a few involved a costumed peanut helping at children's hospitals and charity activities. Naruto rolled his eyes at the ridiculous idea. He flipped the page again and was faced with the employee questionnaire, the part he was supposed to fill out. He clicked his pen into action and leaned forward, anxious to just write in the tiny prescribed boxes and get it over with. He had no interest in advertising whatsoever.

The first question made Naruto smirk, although he was fairly positive it wasn't meant to be humorous.

_Do you think it would be beneficial for a man in costume to promote this product to children?_

Naruto scribbled 'no' below it, not bothering to put an explanation. The next question made him raise an eyebrow.

_Is a peanut an enticing endorsement_?

Naruto assumed the question was asking whether or not the object of a peanut was a valuable vision for a company, and he scribbled a small '_yes_' followed by '_because it sells peanuts, a peanut it good'_.

His explanations were getting less and less specific, and he was starting to imagine that his sentences looked like something a four year old would choke out. His eyes drifted impatiently to the last question.

_Do you think Mr. Peanut is a role model?_

Naruto had to stifle a laugh before folding the paper back into its original state and setting it aside. They were too ridiculous, all of them. Advertisements that thought too hard or did too much. It was a peanut for Christ's sake. How on earth could a peanut be a role model to anything?

A chime sounded on the overhead speakers, an audible cue that it was time for lunch. Naruto had learned that the hard way on his first day, when he had imagined it to be a new type of fire alarm, and had scared quite a few people into leaving the building with him out of unprecedented fear for a fire. An embarrassing moment, to say the least, that had led Naruto to become quite the shrew of the office, hidden away in a quiet area and left to his solitude. He wasn't complaining though, he enjoyed the privacy.

He heard the familiar shuffling of pleated shoes on rough carpet and debated on whether or not to leave himself. He didn't know the area well, and didn't have a great deal of future currency. Shikamaru had given him roughly twenty dollars at the beginning of the week as a sort of work congratulations gift, but Naruto had stowed it away in case of an emergency. Reluctantly, Naruto pulled a small health bar from his pocket and began to chew on it. He would much rather use his lunch break to search the internet anyway.

Shoving the load of papers to an open sidelong portion of his desk, Naruto activated the worldly device, waiting for the internet to materialize. When a familiar blue bar came into play, Naruto pulled a small spiral book from his pants and flipped it open, searching for his last entry. He had been working in the Uchiha Corporate office for nearly a week, and he had used his spare time to research in every opportunity.

Upon some of his first web insights he had found an interesting conversation that had been deleted by WIT, and fortunately, he had been able to relocate the files on his first day. He re-read the scribbles in his tiny journal.

_PervieOlMan: She was born in Osington._

It was a start, but a start with stark leads. He had tried every map agency on the web to locate Osington, but had experienced no luck, and today he was bound to learn something useful. He waited for Google to load, another remaining anomaly, and typed in a formula he had not tried before. _Osington, Cryogenics, Haruno._

The computer took a few minutes to load and Naruto silently wondered if the future was misplaced enough to have dial-up, but before he could examine the rigging of the station, the list of results came into clear view. His eyes widened at how many replies he received. Especially the first one. He clicked it anxiously, leaning in closer to the computer monitor in preparation to examine the web page's contents. His eyes widened.

_Osington was a very popular scientific database in the early 3000's, furthering the advancements of many major scientific revelations including the advancement of vision correction and replacement along with several successful drugs and medicines related to the cure and detachment of mental illnesses. The center was run by an intel by the name of Jiraiya Sannin, and was bought in 3026 by the Fang Corporation who have recently used the lab's resources to create the first cryogenic tube._

There was a picture of the lab, and Naruto cringed. It looked like an asylum. He scrolled down, searching for any other names or locations. There weren't any listed in the article, but below were places for people to blog and write messages. Naruto decided to read a few.

_This place is creepy. Went there for laser surgery, don't remember much. Don't go._

Naruto scrolled down further until something specific caught his eye. A pen name. It was PervieOlMan.

_I know you're reading this, you stupid weasel. You better find me before I decide to tell someone. _

Naruto raised an eyebrow. This PervieOlMan was definitely someone he should try to find. He obviously knew a lot, and Naruto needed to find someone smarter than him, with knowledge that was useful. He returned to Google and typed in the username, hoping to pull up a match. As the page was loading, a voice from behind him made him jump.

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto. I thought…well, that you might want company."

Naruto took in Hinata with a momentary stroke of surprise and felt his mind slowly revert to future Naruto mode. He stood up and smiled, noting that she had a brown bag in her hand that smelled suspiciously like pasta. She smiled back, albeit very meek, and Naruto wondered how she owned her own business with such a dissolute expression. He decided to pay it no mind though, especially considering the efforts she and Neji had gone through to get him the pay and resources through Uchiha. He took the bag from her, mostly because it looked pretty heavy, and motioned towards the door of the cubicle.

"Let's go to the break room, okay?" He asked. One look at his cluttered desk explained why, and the young Hyuuga girl nodded brightly, allowing Naruto to take the lead.

He walked the bare halls of Cubicle Room 202 for a few minutes before he located the kitchen and he held the break room door open for Hinata. She took a seat at the center table and began to unpack the lunch.

The room was quiet and empty, and had a giant glass window with a full view of the city perched outside. Naruto admired it momentarily, remembering how long it had been since he had been in the sun. He felt like a vampire, and even his skin was beginning to pale from its vibrant shade of tanned orange to a pasty chestnut white he wasn't used to. Returning his attention to the food at hand, he sat parallel of Hinata, allowing her to sort out all of the goodies in the lunch bag.

Naruto had assumed right on the pasta, and his mouth immediately began to water when he popped the cover of his meal and was pleasurably assaulted by a steaming bowl of thick Italian style ramen, something he had never even imagined existed. It did though, and it was his drug of the future. Goodbye to top ramen, hello to Italian, he thought, taking a deliberate bite.

Hinata opened her dish, a juicy chicken salad, and ate politely, a look of shy appeasement crossing her delicate features. "I'm glad you like it."

Naruto nodded roughly and waited until he swallowed his food before replying.

"You always know just what to get me to eat."

Hinata laughed and shook her head. "You're just easy to please." She looked a little embarrassed by her forward comment, and Naruto smiled. He took another bite and stared out the window, taking in the bright sunlight. Hinata took a sip of a bottle of water she had purchased, and rested her head on her wrist.

"So how has work been?" She quarried, and Naruto had an inner debate on what to say. In truth, he was incredibly grateful to have the job, but in reality, he felt like the walking dead. He shook his head.

"Harder than I thought. I still haven't seen Sasuke."

Naruto had been waiting like a monk to express all of his ideas to the raven boy, but had been working non-stop for a week without so much as an inclination of interest. Naruto couldn't help but think it was punishment for not kissing the guy, but he shrugged it off. Business owners were busy, and he didn't have the energy to stay angry while thinking about the raven haired boy. He frowned.

"This work is bizarre to me. I didn't realize that Uchiha Corporate was related to advertisement."

Hinata laughed. "Uchiha is connected with everything."

"Ah. That's true." Naruto rounded another bundle of noodles into his mouth, and looked out the window, feeling slightly wistful. He missed the days where his biggest problem was a pop quiz in calculus, and he felt his mind wandering back to his discoveries on the internet. He turned to Hinata who had been admiring the view along with him.

"What is Osington?" He questioned. Though he knew it was an odd question to ask, he decided to play it out. Most people in the future probably knew all of the company names by heart, but he always had to make the extra effort to find out.

Hinata looked to him gently, her expression cool, and Naruto had the sneaking suspicion that she felt his question was interesting. She smiled kindly and moved her hands while she spoke.

"Some people think that it was actually Osington that created the first tube," she said. "They had many resources as a scientific company and were headed by a powerful corporate line. They're out of business now, and Fang got all of their intel."

She seemed to think that she had cured Naruto's curiosity, and Naruto nodded, attempting to reflect an intelligent attitude. He lifted his fork to his lips and ate a remaining tomato, groaning as the lunch bell tolled through the intercom system. He sighed.

"You seem to be working very hard." Hinata said, and Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. Too bad it's not what I'm good at." He began to pile up their garbage and made an effort to throw out the bundle of carry-out dishes. Hinata laughed from behind him and stood, allowing Naruto to get the door for her before turning to him.

"I'm sure that Sasuke will see you soon. He's not one to put off leads."

The comment was endearing, and Naruto couldn't help smiling back. He walked her to the exit of the workroom and opened the door for her.

"Thank you for the food. You probably saved my life." He ran a hand through his hair, and Hinata giggled. "Your welcome."

She disappeared into the elevator and Naruto stood for a moment, the painful realization of his heavy workload returning to him. He took a deep breath and sauntered back to his workstation, ignoring the surplus of eyes that seemed to follow him. He assumed that it was because he had been with Hinata, and he was fairly positive that anyone who was anyone in the corporate world knew who she was.

He jogged back to his cubicle and settled down, re-examining the information on his computer screen before shutting it off. It seemed he would have to try to find PervieOlMan some other day.

He pulled up the next packet advertisement proposal, and deciphered it as being for electronics. He sighed. This work was arduous. From behind him he heard a shuffle, and he turned around as a familiar feeling bristled at his neck. A man was standing at the entrance to his cubicle, holding what appeared to be an envelope in his hand, giving Naruto a somewhat scathing look. Naruto looked confused, but took the message from the man, smiling somewhat belligerently as the man stalked off. He opened the small envelope and read the contents, a thick grin overwhelming his exhausted features.

_9__th__ floor, room 908. Bring your intelligence for a formal discussion._

_Sasuke _

Naruto nearly leapt out of his chair as he doubled for the workroom doors, the same man that had coveted the message to him glaring precariously. Naruto wondered if it was some sort of jealousy the man was emanating, or if he was just naturally anal. He shrugged and whisked past him, following a familiar path towards the elevators. As he waited, he let a nervous excitement flow through him.

Not only was this the first time he would receive a break from his 12 hour workdays, but he was finally going to be able to get a start on his personal research on cryogenics. And on the other side of that, he had been impatiently waiting to confront Sasuke about his comment as well. It seemed as though everything would come full circle, and he got onto the elevator with a dismantled pride, feeling a little weary of what the results of their conversation would be. Though he was incredibly excited to be free of monotony, he wondered at what cost.

As the elevator neared the 9th floor Naruto stepped out, searching the room numbers with a practiced fluidity before finding his desired label. Once outside, he took a deep breath and twisted the knob, entering with prepared look on his face.

It was of no surprise to Naruto that Sasuke was waiting, sitting with lethargy at the head of an empty conference table, tie loose, and hair without its normal degree of gell to supress it. His eyes were like onyx stones beneath a gentle curve of bangs, and Naruto felt his stomach turn in a way that was not only unfamiliar, but somewhat uncomfortable. He still hadn't been able to come to terms with a possible attraction to the Uchiha heir.

He entered slowly and closed the door, the serious air of the room causing goose pimples o rise n his arms. He was positive that everything would be revealed in the next few moments. He breathed and turned, his expression dominating.

"You called for me?" He found a seat near the raven-haired man and crossed his legs, waiting for Sasuke to take the initiative. His pale figure leaned intensely over the table and the Uchiha smirked.

"Yes. And we have much to discuss."

* * *

A/N-- So I guess this is a good time as any to clarify.

Naruto studied _cryonics_ in order to learn about freezing live objects when he was in college.

Now he is more concerned about _cryogenics, _mainly because he wants to know more about the side effects he's experiencing.

As for his hope to return home (to the past), it is completely un-_cryo_ related. He's hoping to discover something new in the future to help him out.

Now that _that_ is cleared up...


	13. Equal Composure

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Revised Edition!

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

Naruto had never been clever with words, and sitting across from the Uchiha made him even less likely to construct and deliver witty comments. In truth, he just wanted to ask the lean man what he had meant by his comment, but a small piece of him wondered if the raven was bluffing, and if he was, Naruto didn't want to release valuable information to yet another person in the future. So instead, he sat languidly in his chair, his eyes fixed on Sasuke's, narrow and concise, prepared for whatever question would escape from those daring and suspiciously tapered lips.

Sasuke seemed to sense the awkward hesitation and he followed Naruto in suite, leaning back against the hard rimmed backing of the corporate chair, shifting his weight to his left side and crossing his legs in a compromising manner. His eyes remained focused and low, an expression Naruto was more than familiar with, and the blonde cleared his throat.

"Well, ask away." He roused, searching the Uchiha for any hint of knowledge.

The raven smirked and ran smooth course of vision over the blonde, an obvious contemplation passing through his brilliant eyes. When he spoke, his voice was a husky timbre.

"Why don't you start by telling me about yourself?"

Naruto felt his mind numb. Did Sasuke know he was form the past? And if that was the case, why was he playing games with him—why wouldn't he just ask? Naruto felt his breathing become ragged as he considered a few responses. The only thing he could assume was that Sasuke was suspicious, but not completely positive of Naruto's origin. The blonde tapped his fingers on his jeans, a small sign of anxious sobriety.

"Why don't you tell me what you know, and after that I will fill in the loose ends." He couldn't help but notice the flash of impatience that dodged across those onyx eyes, but he stood his ground, keeping his eyes low and his lips pursed. Any normal person could tell that he was now very serious, and the tension in the room seemed to build. An annoyed glare crossed Sasuke's face and Naruto could tell by his movements that he had had enough of their verbal game. The raven leaned forward and brushed smooth strands of hair from his vision. His eyes were cold.

"What if I told you…that I know you have a secret?"

Naruto shifted and smirked. "I would say that everyone has secrets."

Sasuke's expression loosened and he tilted his head downward towards a glass of water on the conference table. After a quick glance, he returned his vision to the blonde.

"Where is the only remaining water culturing plant?" He asked briskly, allowing the blonde to appear distressed.

Naruto shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Who is the president of the United Embassy?" The raven continued.

Naruto shrugged. "No clue."

Sasuke raised a daring eyebrow. "What year were you born in?"

Naruto grinned and put his feet up on the table. The truth. Sasuke knew. But one thought crossed Naruto's mind. _How?_

"And now come the important questions." He stated, making the Uchiha heir appear even more impatient than before. The raven knelt back and ran a hand through his hair. "I knew it. There's no way you'd come asking about _her_ if you weren't from another time period."

Naruto vaguely wondered why 'her' was stated with such a blatant distaste, and he felt slightly offended. He assumed the boy was referring to Sakura, and he had the urge to say a defensive comment.

"I'm assuming you're referring to Sakura." He offered, his eyes never leaving the other man's. Sasuke snorted.

"Hn."

Naruto shrugged and decided to let up his pretense. The truth was bound to come out sooner or later, and he had the desperate want to discover more about Sakura's existence in the future. In a way, Sasuke was the key. Not only to Sakura, but to him potentially returning to his own time. He shifted into a comfortable position, resting his head against the smooth backing of the chair. He rolled his head to Sasuke and spoke softly, not entirely sure where to start.

"I wasn't lying when I volunteered to help you with cryogenics. I've studied it a great deal, and I was even able to write a thesis on how to better preserve tissue and cells. I don't think it's entirely competent though, because I've already experienced a few side effects."

Sasuke looked incredibly surprised, almost as if he expected Naruto to deny the entire situation. Naruto could see a dwelling interest in the corporate heir's eyes, and he continued.

"I was born in 1986, by the way. I'm 21, a Libra, I like long walks on the beach…"

He waited for the Uchiha to react, but the man remained emotionless. Naruto queried a brow. "And now you're supposed to laugh."

Sasuke sat back in his chair, a sudden flash of anger overwhelming his marble features. He cursed.

"I _knew_ that woman was up to something."

Naruto looked confused, and he wondered why Sasuke wasn't asking him any more questions. He pondered for a moment, and an idea came to mind.

"Can you take me to see Sakura?" The words came out a little too brittle for his liking, but he stifled his pride to witness the reaction on Sasuke's face. The raven's face restricted.

"So you _both_ can plot against me? I think not." His features were stern and his voice sounded like a whip against the tense and cool conference room air. Naruto felt slightly bewildered and he let his eyebrows narrow in indignation.

"Hey, look. I don't really know what's going on about Sakura being here and whatnot, but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with me. I mean, I am her fiancé, and by some weird fluke, I did end up nearly one thousand years in the future."

Sasuke seemed to have ignored him. "What are your side effects?"

Naruto's face twisted and he swung his legs off of the table.

"What does it matter?" He felt himself growing prideful. The Uchiha wasn't listening to anything he was saying, and it was beginning to annoy him.

"Just tell me what your side effects are." Sasuke commanded, and Naruto felt his fists tighten.

"Motion sickness." He said with a thick voice, "And acrophobia. Anything else, father?"

Sasuke shot a glance at him, his expression vivid and disgruntled. Naruto felt a small surge of triumph, but not enough to ease the uncomfortable sensation welling in his stomach. It was obvious that Sasuke didn't care for Sakura, and above that, something had to have happened to make the raven haired boy believe that she was plotting against him. Above even that, it was pretty apparent to Naruto that Sasuke was gay, so why he was so intensely concerned over Sakura was a bit of an oddity. Sasuke's vague disinterest in his own transcendence to the future was even more suspicious.

Sasuke took a sip of water, letting a keen silence fill the room. Naruto could feel his teeth beginning to grind as the earlier nervous sensation melted into one of offense and confusion, and he waited for the Uchiha to speak. It was only a few minutes before he did.

"Tell me about your thesis." He stated.

"No."

Sasuke glared at him and Naruto did not feel any guilt in the denial. He had no intention of revealing something so valuable to man who didn't trust him, and above that, to a man who wouldn't pay his interests any attention. He ignored Sasuke's intense scowl and planted one of equal force onto his own face, tightening his hands against the arms of his chair. Sasuke leaned forward, a threatening look crossing his features.

"We had a deal. I hire you, you talk."

Naruto shifted. "Well now there are extenuating circumstances."

Sasuke growled and stood up, the power of his action sending the empty water glass across the table. Naruto felt himself scoot backwards, intimidated by the older boy's sudden up-burst. His eyes were wide, and he attempted to look calm.

"Naruto. You may be new here, but I'm going to advise you not to make any stupid decisions in my presence. I have a great deal of power in this world."

Naruto stood up, taking offense to the threat. He felt heated and angered.

"You honestly think that anything you're willing to dish out can make my life any worse?" His words had a distasteful bite, and Sasuke seemed slightly surprised. Naruto continued.

"I'm fucking trapped in a Star Wars movie with no technological knowledge, only two friends—if _that_—a twelve hour job that runs me into the ground, a fiancée that seems to mysteriously not _exist_, and a jackass like you as my only hope to returning home. _Please_, Uchiha. Please tell me what more you could possibly add to my bad karma."

Sasuke seemed to be in a stalemate at this comment, and Naruto nearly shouted out his next remark.

"Not to mention I've got the wonderful task of discovering who fricking put me in this situation!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and spoke, his voice its usual monotone timbre.

"Wait, you didn't intentionally come here?"

Naruto glared at the taller boy, peering up a couple inches to meet his eyes. His face was red from his outburst, and his eyes had turned a darker shade of cobalt blue.

"Of course not. Why the hell would I travel one _thousand _years into the future in a machine that a cat barely survived?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, obviously confused by the cat comment, and his eyes seemed to settle into a more gentle shade of charcoal black. He twisted his head to the side, avoiding eye contact with the blonde boy who was breathing fairly hard.

"What a jerk. If you knew I was from the past, you should have said something. Now you're going to threaten me into helping you? What the hell for, anyway? I mean…" He was rambling now and he knew it. His pent up aggression was falling from his lips like river of polluted words, and the sentences slowly began to fall apart when Sasuke cupped his chin and tilted the blonde's head upward to meet his gaze.

"Don't you _dare_ kiss me." Naruto warned, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I was going to tell you to shut up." Naruto shook the hand away and slumped back into his chair, crossing his legs enigmatically. A moment of silence passed and he sighed.

"Well, this is awkward."

Sasuke sat down slowly, his eyes reflecting the inner mechanics of his brain contemplating a plot. Naruto felt himself calm down, a little embarrassed at his outburst. He decided to let it go. After all, for Sasuke, it was well deserved. When the Uchiha looked at him, Naruto readied himself for the raven's comment.

"You said you have two friends—does that mean only two people know?"

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke continued. "Are they Neji and Hinata?"

Naruto shook his head. "Shikamaru and a friend of his—Chouji."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Nara Shikamaru?"

Naruto nodded again, not in the mood to respond verbally. Sasuke seemed to smirk at this, and Naruto found it annoying. "What's so funny?"

After a moment, Sasuke spoke. "I would never imagine someone as lazy as him to take on a project as…demanding as you."

Naruto found some humor in the comment as well, simply because he knew how lethargic the Asian boy could be. He stayed silent though, until a valuable question popped into his head.

"So, Uchiha. What are we going to do?"

The heir looked displaced, and an angry scowl crossed his face. "Well, you're going to tell me how to advance cryopreservation. Content or not in being here, you made a deal with me."

Naruto knelt forward. "Yeah, and that deal also stated you'd give me all of your resources. I consider Sakura resource."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Get over it, idiot. You're not going near her."

There was something almost protective in Sasuke's voice, but Naruto ignored it.

"Than forget about getting any information out of me."

Sasuke stood up as if he had expected Naruto to reply the way he had. He shrugged.

"Have it your way. But remember, until you give me that information, your life will be spent in a cubicle."

Naruto attempted not to look fazed and shrugged. "Fine."

Sasuke continued. "Your workload will increase."

Naruto remained silent.

"And your hours will be longer."

Naruto could feel his insides tightening, but he kept his strong exterior face. He was stubborn, and he wasn't going to let Sasuke win. If he was going to give valuable information, it was going to be mutual, and at the moment, he knew Sasuke had a great deal of knowledge that he wasn't letting out. Naruto nodded.

"Fine. Whatever you say."

Sasuke looked annoyed, but nodded. "Alright then, Uzumaki. I will see you tomorrow. And don't forget to get your new timecard."

Naruto frowned as the Uchiha left the room, and he buried his head in his hands. He almost felt like crying, but he knew that it wasn't in character. He had to prove Sasuke wrong. He had to make Sasuke trust him. He had to find out more about Sakura, and he definitely had to find a way to get home as soon as possible.

He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath, vaguely wondering if he could survive a week under the Uchiha's torture.

* * *

A/N-- I'm editing these in my motion graphics class. Ugh. Why is Adobe After Effects so painful?

P.S. I really like this chapter. Naruto stands up for himself!


	14. Workman's Comp

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** ReViSeD

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

Naruto couldn't sleep.

He was nestled deep within the comforters of his bed, safe in the warm haven of his studio apartment, the dull and relaxing hum of electric appliances murmuring throughout his dwelling, and the cool evening breeze rustling against his window in a sort of rhythmic dynamic. The setting was right and he was completely exhausted but he couldn't sleep.

His muscles were tense and aching, and his brain was like a well tuned machine, unable to stop processing information after his 17 hour workday. No matter how many times he attempted to let the familiar darkness of rest overwhelm him, images of advertising packets and charity ideas would swarm his mind, causing his attention to flutter back into reality.

His vision was blurry and his back strained him into a narrow position in result of all of the walking to and from the company copy machine. He supposed it didn't help that he had developed a severe hunch when scanning all of the packets and documents he was given, and on a more irritable note, his messenger boy from the week previous had been promoted to the position of his superior, and had felt the wonderful urge to return nearly half of Naruto's packets in light of monotonous corrections. Full sentences were now required for each question, and at least three sentences had to be written for response to each of the employee questions.

Naruto's hand tensed at the vague notion and he felt the painful strike of a muscle spasm attack the palm of his right hand. He grimaced and shifted positions, disappointed when his back reacted sourly to the movement. In all honesty, he was a wreck, and while he thought his body would cave in any day to Sasuke's request, his mind held a forbidding 'no'.

"I won't give in," He whispered to himself. "I mean, I can't…"

As the sensation in his hand died, he eyed his bedside clock and groaned.

It was nearly 4:30 am and was expected to be work at six. Not only were his hours early, but due to how early they were, Shikamaru was unable to transport him back and forth. He had to rely on public transportation which made him cringe, simply because he had to leave an hour early to make it on time and it was the buses that took the most curvaceous routes. He shook the thought form his head, fighting the automatic feeling of nausea that had arisen in his throat, and tried to think of something else.

"It's been three days since I've slept at all," he thought to himself, the words rough and coarse. He had been slaving away at Sasuke's new schedule for nearly a week, and it was finally beginning to take a toll on him. His body was beginning to shut down, and he knew it.

He hadn't been eating properly, mainly because he had to use his lunch break to complete assignments due by noon, and aside from that, he didn't really have much food of his own. He had depleted his stash of health bars, and hadn't seen Shikamaru or Chouji since the day previous to his encounter with Uchiha, and in all honesty, he had no idea where to buy food or even how the new currency worked. He felt his stomach growl and he bit his lip to push back the pain of hunger. He felt like crying, but he was too exhausted.

Instead, he used all of his energy to lift himself from his bed, his arms and legs immediately protesting the movement. He shook his head past the aches and stood up, his legs wobbly underneath him, and ventured to his bathroom to change into his work clothes. He had worn all of the choices he had, and he couldn't bring himself to iron anything. His vision was blurry and his mind was unfocused, and he slowly slid on the most unwrinkled pair of pants he had, along with a decently flattened tunic. He ran a fist full of cold water over his hair and rinsed his face, afterwards peeling back the hem of his shirt to smear on deodorant. After he dried his face and eyed his clammy reflection, he grimaced. He looked slightly…dead.

He felt dead, too.

His insides felt like they were eating away at themselves, and the thick and precocious feeling of nausea had become a permanent bubble in the base of his throat, and his eyes felt at odds with gravity. He shuffled out of the bathroom to grab his wallet and keys before creeping out of his front door, well aware that the sun hadn't even made an effort to rise yet. He trudged down the street to the hover bus stop he had become familiar with and was grateful that he was just in time as he pulled himself onto the massive machine, immediately collapsing into the nearest seat. His legs were burning and his back felt like a piece of taffy around his spine, and he felt his eyes drift closed.

"Hey, maybe you shouldn't be working so many hours," Naruto heard a voice in the distance and recognized it as the driver's. He couldn't even bring himself to answer. All of the food that wasn't in his stomach threatened to come up, and he instead remained completely still, focusing on anything but the withdrawal his body was experiencing. He decided to think of Sakura, since he was making all of this effort for her.

Sakura.

It was odd, because it seemed almost like she was a distant memory. The feel of her lips on his had been replaced the jarring forcefulness of Sasuke's, and her smooth skin, the skin he had taken pleasure in caressing, had become a vague thought in his mind. Her bright green eyes, sometimes a winter shade of blue, were losing their luminosity in his memory, and even her voice was becoming hard to place. She was slipping away, and the difficult part was that she was so close. As close as Sasuke.

The bus slowed to a halt and the driver nudged him, indicating that it was his stop. Naruto pulled himself up, as eager as he could under the circumstances. He had something to prove, even if it cost him a few days without sleep and a couple without food. People had survived off worse, he thought, and he wanted to make Sasuke understand him.

He nodded politely to the driver and stepped off, not wanting to speak as the woozy and uncomfortable feeling still lingered in the pit of his stomach and dip of his throat. He sauntered into the street, ignoring the cold breeze that nipped at his skin, and took in the gentle bright hue of the rising sun. It was nearly six, and he was on time again.

He opened the door to Uchiha Corporate, the receptionist giving him a wry look. He must have looked worse for wear, because the man looked extremely sympathetic and even concerned. Naruto shook his hand at the stranger in a noncommittal way and stalked to the elevator, riding the middle stall up to the 5th floor.

He followed his familiar path off of the elevator to his isolated cubicle and felt his stomach drop at the ridiculous amount of work that remained waiting for him on his desk. Half of it was returned work from his boss Mizuki, who had seemed to have found an intense pleasure in making Naruto's life hell, and the other half was completely new. He groaned and collapsed into his chair, resisting the temptation to fall asleep as he did so, and grabbing the first packet returned from Mizuki.

There was a red circle around one of his word with a small scribble that implied it was misspelled. Naruto cursed and chucked the packet aside.

He didn't have the energy for what he knew he needed to do and he knew it. He felt like he could collapse at any moment, and he couldn't even read straight. If the word was misspelled, Naruto wouldn't even be able to tell. He turned to the next packet and opened it, somewhat relieved when it was just a matter of printing his name at the top. He jotted it as legibly as he could, and widened his eyes to try to make his vision less blurry. It didn't work. He chucked the packet aside.

This routine went on for about an hour, until Naruto realized that half of his work was in the unfinished pile, with a fresh pile of unfinished work untouched. He rubbed his temples and perked when he heard a rap at his cubicle station. It took all of his energy to turn his swivel chair around and meet the visitor, and he felt his stomach crumble as he realized it was Mizuki. The man smirked, a painfully unpleasant smile, and crossed his arms.

"Have you gotten _anything_ done this morning?" His voice was sarcastic and threatening.

"I've been working." He couldn't manage a clever retort.

Mizuki seemed to recognize Naruto's discomfort and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, follow me. I have a little early morning assignment for you." He turned before Naruto could answer, and Naruto was faced with the task of pulling himself from the chair and following Mizuki to wherever he was going to go. He did it reluctantly, forcing down the urge to fall victim to the blackout that was threatening him. He stumbled out of the cubicle and followed the taller man, not having enough energy to be angry at the kindness the older man lacked. He inwardly shrugged, too tired to contemplate the situation.

As he walked past the entry door he heard familiar voices, and after a quick glance he saw Neji and Sasuke speaking in the outer hallway. His vision was blurry, but he could tell it was them. He skipped ahead slightly, attempting to avoid being seen. He didn't want wither of them to see him in his current state.

His challenge with Sasuke was going downhill, and he could feel his eyelids growing heavy, even as he walked across the room. His movements were disjointed and he could tell. He probably looked like a drunk man stumbling across the room, but ignored any glances he was receiving. He followed Mizuki into the copy room and was completely caught off guard when the older boy pushed him hard against the wall, out of the sight of other employees. Naruto heard a sound of dissatisfaction leave his throat, and his eyes widened somewhat.

"What the hell?" He managed, but Mizuki slapped him hard.

"You think that 'cause your blonde…You're a shitty worker, do you know that? You're obviously on Sasuke's bad side for all these ridiculous hours, and now you show up like a fucking zombie and expect me to take the fall for all your half finished lame-ass paperwork?"

Naruto stuttered but couldn't get out a response. The burning sensation on the side of his face was enough to make him slip into unconsciousness, as if it was the excuse his body needed. He pushed back against the man, but his efforts were meaningless. He barely had the energy to stay awake, much less fight off a grown man. Even his adrenaline was having little effect.

"What can I do to you to make you take this job seriously?" The man asked, but Naruto felt that the question was rhetorical. It was even insinuating. It was definitely threatening. Naruto watched as the man's hand lifted, and noticed when it didn't come forward. It was being held back, and Naruto wasn't sure why. His vision was beginning to fade, and all he could make out was a wave of slick brown hair.

"If you touch him, I'll permanently put you out of a job." It was Neji's voice. Naruto recognized it, but his eyes were refusing to stay open. Funny thing, because he was using every ounce of energy to force them open.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Again, Neji's voice.

Naruto felt his eyes lock, and he fell backwards. He couldn't stop it, and he couldn't keep standing. The loss of control felt amazingly good, as if sleep was taking him over. He felt strong arms grip him, and someone catching his form. It would be moments before he was asleep. He could feel it.

"Damn it. Fuck. Uchiha!" Neji. Naruto vaguely wondered why he sounded so worried. He had no idea, because he felt wonderful. Any minute now.

He was being lifted, or maybe it was just a result of the encroaching darkness. He didn't know. But he was warm and content, and for the first time in a long series of days, he felt completely at ease. As the sounds around him faded, he finally fell asleep.

* * *

Naruto wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, but he was definitely aware that it hadn't been for any short period of time. As his eyes sifted open he gradually took in his surroundings, with enough evidence to lead him to the conclusion that he was in a break room. To be specific, a very high end break room, because he was happily perched on a comfortable couch and tightly wrapped in a fleece blanket. He hadn't felt this good in an extremely long time, and he slowly let the events previous to his collapse re enter his mind. As a slow realization overwhelmed him, he felt his heartbeat quicken. 

He had lost—above that he had fainted. And in front of Neji no less. And he was positive that Sasuke had been there too. His head twisted slightly and he ignored the slight pain that shot up his neck, most likely a result of sleeping in the same position for too long. He examined the room. Not a break room, an office.

And the floor was littered with food items. As if someone had stayed with him for a long while. It was then that Naruto heard the talking, and he shifted slightly, pulling himself into a sitting position. A headache began to pound against the insides of his skull and he held his temples, surprised at how clammy he felt. He took a breath and searched for the cause of the voices, realizing that they were out in the hall outside of the room he was in. He listened closely, straining to hear what the conversation was about. The voices sounded familiar. In fact, they sounded an awful lot like Neji and Sasuke, and it sounded suspiciously like an argument. Naruto listened closely, all while trying to ease the gentle throbbing of his scalp.

"Uchiha, this is ridiculous. If you don't call a doctor, I will."

"No you won't. He'll be fine." Though Sasuke's words were clear and precise, Naruto heard an edge of fear embrace them.

"He's been out for two days with a 104 degree fever. Are you insane or just sadistic?"

Naruto felt a smile creep to his lips. He didn't feel as sick as they were making it sound. Sasuke spoke again, his voice low.

"Look Neji, we can't call a doctor. He doesn't have a medical card."

There was a pause. "What are you talking about?"

"He doesn't have one. If you call a doctor, they'll arrest him. Get over it because it's not an option."

Another pause. Neji was angry. "How does he not have a card?"

"I think he's awake."

Naruto suddenly realized that the topic of their debate was himself when they both coursed into the room, Neji on him like a mother hen. A cool hand brushed Naruto's forehead and he hissed at the icy feeling that purveyed.

"How are you feeling?" Neji's voice was laden with concern. Naruto wasn't sure why. He felt much better than he had previously, and all that was currently bothering him was his head. "I've got a headache."

Neji scolded. "You've got a fever, too. I think it's gone down some though."

The last segment of his statement was aimed for Sasuke, and Naruto didn't bother to answer. He was content against the arm of the couch, huddled over in a tired slump. Neji ran a hand down his cheek and tilted his chin up, making an effort to look into his eyes. Naruto blinked them open, letting them water slightly at the unfamiliar feeling. Neji looked angry, which was surprising considering how kind his tone had been.

"When was the last time you ate?" He questioned. Naruto tried to think. How long had it been? He saw Neji's eyes narrow and the attractive boy shook his head.

"Ridiculous. You can't even remember."

Neji stood up, and Naruto was surprised to realize that his comment was planted towards Sasuke. Naruto rose his head high enough to glance to the raven haired boy, and was surprised to see that he looked pretty angry himself. He was staring at Neji for a moment before he spoke.

"Go and get him some food. I want to talk with him. Alone."

Naruto shivered. That didn't sound good.

Neji looked as though he was debating on obeying, but after a loud groan escaped Naruto's stomach, he turned towards the door, vanishing through the outer corridor without a second look. Naruto didn't turn to see him leave, but instead kept his eyes on the pale figure above him. Sasuke moved closer, and sat on the edge of the couch beside him, his cool onyx eyes looking jaded. There was a long moment of silence before he spoke, and Naruto, still tired and slightly intimidated, couldn't look away.

"You're such an idiot." Sasuke said, and leaned forward, placing his forehead against Naruto's, perhaps wanting to place Naruto's fever on his own. The feeling was cool and pleasant, and Naruto blushed. Sasuke seemed to notice because he pulled away.

"Tell me what hurts." Naruto was surprised by the raven's demand. In fact, after a moment, he was even angry. He hadn't even begun to think of all the pains he had experienced until this moment, and at the slight recollection, all of them came crashing back. Naruto doubled over.

"Oh my God," his throat was hoarse. "Everywhere."

Sasuke's arms were around him in an instant, mechanically folding him onto the couch, until he was lying flat against the velvety cushions. The position felt somewhat better, and Naruto growled.

"This is all your fault, you know." He managed.

Sasuke looked belligerent. "I never knew you would starve yourself."

Naruto almost smiled, but as his eyes slipped closed he felt a small wave of tiredness overwhelm him. He felt like taking another nap.

Something tugged at his shoulder and he opened an eye, slightly annoyed.

"No sleeping until you eat something. And until we make a compromise."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and coughed. "A compromise?"

There was a shuffling outside of the door and Sasuke spoke quickly. "I'll help you with Sakura if you give me your information."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why so nice?"

Sasuke glared. "Is it a deal, or not?"

Naruto wasn't really in the right thinking mind for important decisions, but he nodded anyway. Arguing would take too much effort.

From behind him, Neji shuffled in and the warm smell of cheddar broccoli soup and fresh bread assaulted his nose. He smiled. "Yum."

"I have work to do. I'm sure you can handle this, Hyuuga."

And in a moment, Sasuke was gone. Neji took his place though, a fickle look of concern still plastered on his delicate features. As he helped Naruto eat a spoonful of soup, he shook his head.

"I know that Uchiha had something to do with this." He stated.

Naruto swallowed and shook his head.

"I lost a bet, is all." Neji raised an eyebrow and decided not to ask any more questions. Naruto continued to eat, and within ten minutes, he was asleep again.

* * *

A/N-- I understand how Naruto feels! I suffer from the same thing between work and college.

Haha. This is really random but I'm editing this in my after effects class and the teacher just played my film and asked, "How did you get all of this footage?"

And some girl in the front of the class started talking about it like it was her project.

Weirdo.

lol


	15. Who to Trust

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Another chapter revised!

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

When Naruto filtered back to reality, he was pleasantly surprised to find that he was no longer inside the stern atmosphere of a corporate office, but rather in the sanctity of a familiar room with plated glass windows and a warm breeze. He wondered how long he had been asleep, and above that, how exhausted he had been to have slept through such a tremendous relocation.

The thought slipped his mind as he took in the tempting aroma of freshly sautéed rice and felt his tongue run ragged over his parched lips. He smiled and rolled to the side, pulling the thick white comforter down to his chest so that he could view the mastermind behind the delicious predicament.

He was fully awake now, his nostrils flaring at the delectable smells vandalizing his senses, and he allowed his eyes to scan his surroundings, searching for the zesty dish he was reacting to. His eyes wandered upwards to a lean figure who was languidly shuffling around a stainless steel kitchenand he chuckled.

"Ugh. You're like my official babysitter."

He ran a hand over his eyes and stretched, pulling himself slowly into a sitting position in wait for a reply. It wasn't long before the Asian boy departed from the kitchen, a plate of freshly spiced stir fry on flaky white rice balancing on his outstretched palm, and an irritable smile tempting his tanned features.

"Unfortunately for you."

Naruto took the dish eagerly, hardly pausing before he grabbed the metal utensil on the side and spooned chunks of the saucy concoction into his mouth. It felt like he hadn't eaten for days, and the stale taste of too much sleep was easily quenched by Shikamaru's cooking. The taller boy seemed pleased and he sat next to Naruto, pulling his own plate onto a pillow as leverage on his lap and ate quietly. Naruto couldn't help but realize just how quiet his friend was and after swallowing a rather monstrous bite of tender chicken, he twisted his head to inquire.

"How long have I been here?"

Shikamaru swallowed a portion of rice and sunk into the bedding, leaning lazily against the back of the bed frame. Naruto noticed that he was completely casual in dress, and he took another bite, this time of vegetables. Shikamaru shifted his head to the side.

"A day or so."

Naruto's eyes queried. "And?" He could sense that there was more to Shikamaru's irritation, and he chewed slowly, waiting for the boy to respond. Shikamaru seemed to pick up on Naruto's sensitivity, and he sighed.

"And I'm not to let you out of my sight. A 'paid vacation' as Sasuke put it."

Naruto's eyes narrowed and he slid his empty plate onto the bedding, his hands becoming fists as frustration overwhelmed him. He spun around in his position to face familiar meticulous eyes, and he growled. "That bastard never said _anything_ about house arrest!"

Shikamaru didn't respond but his expression told Naruto he was curious about the blonde's activities over the past couple of weeks. Naruto wordlessly realized that he hadn't seen his friend since the previous week—ever since their original discussion about Sasuke and his advances. Naruto was thankful that for the moment that wasn't his concern. He took a steadying breath and calmed his exterior.

"I'm taking it Sasuke knows?" Shikamaru asked, spooning a soft fluff of rice into his mouth. Naruto hesitated, but nodded.

"It's weird, Nara. It's like he has some conspiracy theory against Sakura or something. He won't even let me see her."

Shikamaru nodded thoughtfully, his expression remaining cool and collected. He chewed and swallowed, and Naruto waited a moment before continuing.

"It's like he knew, but needed me to fess up. As soon as he found out…it was weird. As if any credibility I had was crushed. He wanted me to just give him my information and then go do desk work and—"

"Desk work is not your thing." Shikamaru finished, and Naruto nodded.

"Not only that, but I wouldn't be any closer to getting home."

The comment was met with silence, and Shikamaru took a belabored bite, examining the situation carefully. Naruto stretched and ran a hand through his hair, feeling slightly awkward in midst of the lingering silence. He could never tell what Shikamaru was thinking, and it made him uncomfortable. As if reading his mind, Shikamaru spoke.

"I think I should be honest with you, Naruto."

Naruto resisted the urge to glare at the boy before nodding and allowing his partner to continue.

"There are some things that just don't seem right about this entire situation—and to be truthful, I'm a little surprised you haven't noticed them."

Naruto sunk down into a laying position, preparing himself for a long winded conversation. He looked up to the Asian boy as he continued to eat, and waited for the boy's reprise. After a long moment, he continued.

"Given I don't know much about your time, but I'm going to say that I trust you more than I would trust anyone else I would encounter with your, well…dilemma. I'm pretty good at reading people, and I don't think that you're lying."

Naruto scoffed. "You're telling me this _now_?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm trying to hint to you that I've come across information that makes me believe that Sakura may be dangerous."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto said, his voice cold and precise. He felt offended, and above that, curious. He watched as Shikamaru placed his own plate on top of Naruto's slowly finishing off his last round of vegetables. When he had finished, he ran a hand through his ponytail and spoke.

"First off, why don't you tell me why you think Sakura's here in the future."

Naruto debated for a moment, attempting to properly word his opinions. He had thought over this question many times, but never in a way that was meant to be explained to people outside of his own predicament. He tapped his fingers idly, and just concluded to speak.

"Well, she must have figured out that I was sent here, somehow, and came after me. My guess is she knew that the only way to find me would be to become close to whoever had the most information on cryogenics, which is Sasuke."

Shikamaru nodded and looked skeptical. "And tell me again the last thing you saw in your time."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering where his friend was leading the conversation. "My party."

"You told me that the last thing you remember was passing out with Sakura leaning over you."

Naruto blinked. "And Kiba. But I was passing out—they were probably attempting to break my fall."

It was Shikamaru's turn to raise an eyebrow and he shook his head with annoyance. "To any normal person, they would seem completely suspicious."

Shikamaru's train of thought suddenly broke into Naruto's mind and he felt a wave of defense pummel through his lips. He twitched to the side, balling the bedding in his fingers, trying to contain the growl that was emerging.

"Whoa, whoa—wait a minute. Not even. Sakura's my fiancée—not to mention, she hasn't got an ounce of scientific intelligence in her. There's no way—that's ridiculous. _Impossible_ even."

Shikamaru answered calmly, as if he had been prepared for Naruto's outburst and precisely primed with what the boy would say. He turned his head slightly to gage the blonde's new stance, and his lips moved with fluidity.

"If you're right, and she's your savior, why hasn't she found you yet? She's been here for two years, Naruto. And with Uchiha's resources, you would have been easy to find."

Naruto didn't say anything. The idea was so fanatical that he didn't see the need to respond.

"There aren't many blonde haired blue eyed boys, Naruto, and you sure brought in enough attention the day you first met Uchiha."

Naruto swiveled around and stood up from the couch, ignoring the soreness that eroded through his legs. He crossed his arms and felt his eyes narrow in retort.

"She came for me, Shikamaru. There must be reasons why she isn't able to communicate with me."

"What, like Uchiha?"

Naruto felt his insides crawl. Shikamaru had a point. Sasuke had been limiting his contact with his fiancée without reason. Or maybe there was a reason, and it just wasn't up for discussion.

Naruto took a breath, attempting to dilute the situation in his own mind. A new anxiety was starting to build itself and no matter how many times he called Shikamaru's idea ridiculous, he couldn't help but wonder if it really was true. His stomach was brewing with a new apprehension that he never dreamed possible. He sat down and waited for Shikamaru to speak.

"I'm going to tell you what I think. But the moment you start to chew my head off, I'm going to shut up. Got it?"

Naruto nodded, feeling a little guilty for yelling at his closest friend. Shikamaru approved of the gesture and spoke, turning his eye contact away as if he didn't want to see Naruto's reaction.

"All information related to cryogenics prior to the year 2040 vanished mysteriously after a few of the catastrophies led on by global warming. Only two countries in the world had any type of solar energy plan, and in result, there was something like a climate shift. It was distracting, to say the least, and most scientists focused on ways to save the planet rather than hobbies like preservation."

Naruto nodded, taking the information in like a sponge. It was weird hearing about the future he had never experienced, and he was slightly grateful for the mishap of time travel he had become veteran to, merely because he had no desire to imagine the problems the world had to have encountered. He followed Shikamaru's words closely.

"My guess is that it wasn't 2040 when that information disappeared. It was with you, since you apparently invented it. When you were frozen, all of that information just disappeared."

Naruto shook his head and Shikamaru paused, allowing him to offer a comment.

"That can't be. My professor, Sarutobi, had another copy of the thesis."

Shikamaru looked slightly alarmed, and his eyes flickered veritably. Naruto could see that he was reevaluating his thoughts, and he waited patiently for them to be put together and produced.

"Alright then, I'll modify. Two theories. Theory number one," he breathed, "Sakura got you out of the picture, and came to the future to profit from it. Theory two: Sakura had nothing to do with you ending up here, got a hold of the information, and came here to profit from it."

Naruto shook his head. "That's stupid. How was she supposed to know the future would be in need of cryogenic intelligence?"

"Well, global warming started before you were even born…I wouldn't be surprised if she calculated the results."

Naruto paused for a minute. "Wait, I'm confused. _Cryonics _puts people to sleep—they wake up in the future. I think that's important now because of your problem with the small female percentage in the population. You could freeze a bunch of guys, wait until the female population grows, and then restart. But you're talking like…like cryonics is related to time travel or something."

Shikamaru didn't nod, only looked scrutinizing. "Cryonics is a form of time travel. And believe me, if there's a way to go forward unharmed, there's definitely a way to go back."

Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes. "Though that makes sense, it's also pretty silly. I don't believe in time travel, as scientific as I may be."

"Well, disregarding that, money is money. And women love money—no matter what time period you're from. If Sakura knew it would turn a profit, she would definitely take it where it couldn't be linked to you. If she used it in your time, she would have been sued—but here, it's free game."

"But if she has my thesis, why on Earth would Sasuke need me with all of the same information?"

Shikamaru lifted a finger. "That is the question now, isn't it?"

Naruto thought for a moment before his lips let out a murmur. "She's not giving him the information."

Shikamaru only shrugged. "Maybe."

Naruto shifted, an uncomfortable feeling welling in the pit of his stomach. His Sakura, blackmailing a corporate mogul? It seemed outlandish and impossible. In truth, Shikamaru's theories didn't even make sense to him. He shook his head.

"Look, none of this makes sense. First off, I had every intention of sharing my profit with Sakura and Kiba. Money isn't a motive. Secondly, neither of them knew much of anything about my research…so the only way they could use it is if they sold the thesis, which Sarutobi had. There is no motive, and no method."

Shikamaru was silent or a moment.

"You just can't see it clearly because you're involved, and nearly one thousand years out of the loop."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, and Shikamaru stood up, stretching. He was still confused, but too mentally exhausted to ask any more questions.

"I need time to think," he said, and Shikamaru merely nodded.

"Look, you should get dressed. Even though Sasuke gave me time off for my corporate day job, my bartending moonlight is still in play."

Naruto peered up and looked annoyed. "So you really are my babysitter."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Strict orders."

Naruto glared for a moment before realizing that he had no choice in the matter. As Shikamaru disappeared into his own bedroom, Naruto pulled himself to his feet and begrudgingly dragged himself to the bathroom, eager to wash away nearly three days of a work induced coma.

* * *

A/N-- Class over, gotta go catch some Zs.

Peace!


	16. Sover Street Moonlight

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Well, I'm definitely not going to have time to update this week, so I figured I would post one today and save myself the strife.

Thank you for the great reviews, as always, and please feel free to continue to comment on my fanfiction.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Sover Street Moonlight**

The trip to Sover Street was not as long as Naruto had expected it to be, most likely because the first time he had been there was long ago and everything had seemed like an extension of time. Walking down the somewhat familiar street gave Naruto headway into how much he had already adapted to the future culture that surrounded him, as the outfits he had once labeled as gaudy costumes now seemed rather ordinary. Brightly colored hair and loose camisoles were now casual in appearance, and not to far from the black jeans and loose white t-shirt he was sporting for the out-of-house occasion. He had even become more accustomed to the curious glances he always seemed to attract, but found himself standing defensively close to Shikamaru as they approached the more crowded areas of night life that seemed to bombard the heady area.

Shikamaru often noticed Naruto's awkward discomfort and placed a firm hand over his, an action that made them look more like an item than two friends looking for a night on the town. It seemed to work, because men moved for them, and though Naruto was slightly embarrassed, he decided it was much better than the alternative of pungent male attention. He inwardly thanked his friend and followed Shikamaru's lead carefully as the bar in question came into view.

Bright lights and smooth glass doors coveted the brewery, and Naruto was surprised to realize that is was more of a restaurant rather than a place for binge drinking. Naruto admired the building's structure, noting that it had at least three stories and a metal railed balcony extruding from the roof. It was a mixture of modern simplicity and mortar foundation and the base of the building shot up in a haze of scarlet bricks and transformed into a classy mold of metal bars.

Naruto had never seen a building with a metal exterior, but he imagined that this was the only way it could be done. He was tugged from his reverie only slightly before Shikamaru pulled him through giant stained glass doors, and into the intimidating place of business.

Naruto almost gasped.

The first room, what Naruto assumed to be a sitting room, was gigantic. Cherry wood floors paved a path towards luxurious couches and loveseats, all the same mysterious color of dusted rose. The walls were very plain and oak, and various items hung like decorations from their bulky exterior. Horseshoes, instruments, old road signs…things Naruto was used to seeing at the restaurants of his generation. It looked ruggedly formal, almost like what Naruto imagined a saloon to appear as in the inside and Naruto could be sure that he had never seen anything like it before.

The taller boy pulled Naruto forward into the main room, apparently his place of work, where a giant solitary oak slab extruded itself from the wall, defending a giant wall of various liquor from the general public. The wall of beverages strained towards the ceiling, a mirror planted behind the plethora of shelves, and solid oak designs jutted outwards like a border around the site. The work area for the bartenders was quite large, and Naruto noted that the bar table could seat nearly twenty people. At the moment, almost all of the chairs were full, and the blonde's eyes drifted around the room, noticing that nearly every table was taken for the evening. A rushed waiter whizzed past him and Shikamaru pulled him towards the bar table, but not soon enough for Naruto to catch the savory aroma of steak and warm gravy. He licked his lips. Why did food smell so much better in the future?

He let Shikamaru lead him towards a back room door, obviously one for employees only, and his intention was obvious. Like any bar or restaurant the place was raging with conversation, and the employee area seemed to be the only place that the duo would be able to hear each other. Shikamaru pulled him close and spoke into his ear.

"My shift is four hours tonight. This place has three stories—the second floor and roof have dancing. The third floor is reserved. Are you hungry?"

Naruto took in the information and nodded.

"Alright. Go to the third floor and I'll have one of the waiters get you some food. You can do what you want, but don't leave the building, okay?"

Naruto nodded again and followed Shikamaru's finger as it pointed to a grand stairwell, and took the hint. Shikamaru was gone before Naruto could think of anything to ask. Naruto drifted towards the staircase, observing the various and diverse crowd that had infected the dining hall, feeling somewhat naked without Shikamaru by his side. Eyes roamed his figure as he ascended the staircase, and he turned his attention to the task at hand—making it to the third floor.

He paused briefly at the second floor, peering through plated glass doors at the bumbling activity that made his heart race in familiarity. Flashing bulbs of neon strobes darted around the dark room, and figures moved heavy in the dimming lights to music Naruto couldn't even place. He remembered clubbing with his friends from the university and all of the mixed emotions that came from it. A figure exited and held the door open for him, but the blonde shook his head and turned to near the next floor. He jogged slightly to avoid the look of interest he had accrued, and took a few deep breathes as he found his way to a small dining room on the third floor. From behind him, the door opened before it had even closed, and a man came in, clad in a penguin suit that could have only been devised in the future. He was holding a menu, and he outstretched it to Naruto evenly.

"Shikamaru sent me. Do you know what you want?"

Naruto took the menu and chuckled nervously. "Um, no. I'm sorry to say that I haven't eaten here before."

The waiter looked a little rushed and Naruto hurriedly opened the small booklet, searching for something he recognized. Most of it was still foreign to him, but a couple items stood out. Chicken and beef. He found what he imagined to be the beef steak he had witnessed earlier and pointed to it, allowing the waiter to make a mental note.

"Anything to drink?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head. "Just water, please."

The waiter gave him a bemused look, scrutinizing him with keen eyes. He retrieved the menu and turned to exit the room, words formulating from his slim composure. "It will be ready in ten."

Naruto assumed that he meant minutes and watched as the oak door hitched open at his departure, only to shiftbackwards against the frame. And Naruto was alone.

A light echo of music from the dance hall below rumbled against the floor, and Naruto found himself examining the room with quiet interest, admiring the few pieces of modern art that were etched into the wooden planks of the walls. They were much like matte paintings, and Naruto couldn't help but realize the stark contrast in style between the sci-fi scenes portrayed and the husky brilliance of the lodge-like room. He felt lonely for the first time since the day he had arrived on the crowded streets of Sover. His conversation with Shikamaru was still fresh on his mind.

Naruto sat down at a deserted table and sat forward, resting his head on folded arms. He needed time to think.

He didn't want to believe that Sakura or Kiba would intentionally trap him in his own design, but Shikamaru had been almost dead-on with his analysis of Naruto's final memories. He remembered them…smiling.

They hadn't looked concerned at all, even though he had been collapsing. Or maybe the effects of the chamber had altered his memory. He strained his brain to recall every moment with a new vivid attention, but it was no use. He could only remember what he had already remembered, and none of it seemed to lend him any new clues.

Except that Kiba had been angry when Naruto had decided not to let him directly in on the deal. Not only angry, but offended. Naruto shook his head and sat up.

"There has to be another explanation. This doesn't make sense."

He sat still for a moment and tried to wash away the intense feeling that had rushed between his ears in a decision to start from scratch. He sounded out his thought process.

"There are only a few reasons why someone would want me to wake up in the year 3027." He lifted a finger at each conclusion.

"One, they didn't want me in the year 2007. Two, they wanted me dead…since the machine wasn't really even technically successful…or three…"

His eyes narrowed. "Someone needed me in the year 3027."

He pondered for a moment. "But if that's the case, Shikamaru's time travel notion is involved."

He took a deep breath and jumped when the wooden door swung open behind him, the waiter from previous busting in with a full plate of delicious meats and a tall glass of water. He was quick in placing the food before Naruto and was even faster at disappearing from the room, leaving the blonde feeling a little irked. A little friendly conversation never hurt anyone.

Naruto shrugged the feeling away and picked up a fork and knife, eager to fill his stomach with the wonderful dish's delights. The meat slid apart at the slightest touch of his knife. His stomach growled.

He ate slowly, letting the delicious tastes and smells concoct in his mouth, ignoring the vague thought that the food, though appetizing, tasted nothing like the beef he was used to. He decided not to think about it, knowing that the less he scrutinized the more he would enjoy, and swallowed a portion of potatoes and gravy down with a long drink of water. The liquid was cold and burned his throat and he bit back a brain freeze.

"Ugh." Why restaurants always served ice-cold water he would never know.

He chewed on a thin piece of red meat and was about to continue his earlier train of thought when his Icon beeped for attention. Naruto raised an eyebrow and set down his utensils, curious to see who was texting him at such an awkward time. It was nearly eleven at night, and he didn't have that many contacts.

Pulling his wrist to his eye level, he examined the small display screen, deciphering the message.

'Are you with Nara?' it read. He scrolled down impatiently and noticed that it's referral number wasn't recognizable.

He scribbled a text back.

'Who wants to know?' he replied, forking a few pieces of broccoli into his mouth. He chewed for a few minutes in wait for an answer and sighed. He had a pretty good idea who it was. Who else would be trying to make sure he was being supervised but Sasuke Uchiha? His Icon beeped again and he examined its contents.

'We need to talk. Can you meet me outside?'

Naruto raised an eyebrow. This was interesting. As if Sasuke didn't trust him enough to be monitored by Shikamaru, he had trailed the poor blonde all the way to the Asian boy's workplace, guns cocked and drawn. And just for conversation?

Naruto frowned.

'Is it that important?' He hit the send button.

There was a shorter pause, and the Icon replied.

'Yes.'

Naruto eyed his plate with a sad sort of contemplation and spooned a smooth combination of meat and mashed potatoes into his mouth before standing rather abruptly from the table. He took a swig of water and trotted towards the door, curious as to why Uchiha had made such an effort to find him. He slipped out of the dining hall and jogged down the stairwell, nearly colliding with his personal waiter. The man stopped and eyed him. "You leaving?"

Naruto shook his head, his eyes vacantly passing the main doors to the business. He returned his attention to the waiter and shook his head. "No, I'm not. I mean, I'll be right back. Can you tell Shikamaru that I went to see Sasuke? I think he's waiting for me or something."

The man looked confused and Naruto shook his hands in dismissal. "He'll know who I'm talking about."

The waiter nodded apprehensively before disappearing up the stairs, and Naruto found his way to the first floor, ushering his way past the crowds of people that had invaded since his arrival. He felt hands slide across his torso and made an effort to believe that it wasn't intentional, and quickly dived into the waiting room, scooting past several male couples that were waiting for seats. He was too short to attempt to pick Shikamaru out at the bar, and he decided to let fate lie with the waiter and his message. He twisted towards the door and pushed outwards, stumbling onto the concrete exterior of the sidewalk and into a hazy midnight breeze. It was warm and intoxicating, especially with the thick smells of nightlife that smothered the small area. People thronged the streets like swarms of colorful insects, and Naruto glanced around in search for the raven haired man. He didn't see him.

He stepped to the side of the main doors to the tavern and stood on his toes, trying to oversee the juts of couples walking with drunken stupor along the sidelong passages. Cars roamed the streets and Naruto had a creeping feeling clutch his stomach, wondering where the older man was. He stepped back against the brick wall and pulled his Icon up to his face and closer to the neon lighting illumination. No messages.

"Naruto Uzumaki," a voice said from behind him, and Naruto turned quickly, but not fast enough. A calloused hand encircled his wrist as Naruto attempted to make out the figure, but the man had pulled him into the shallow depths of an alleyway entrance and away from the glowing lights. Naruto cried out as his foot tangled over some sort of trash, and felt invaded when the man caught him. He pulled away quickly, shaking his hand from theman's touch. His figure was large and uncanny, and the voice was low and intimidating. Naruto swallowed a feeling of fear that had gathered in his throat.

"I'm sorry, but I'm waiting for someone." Naruto said, and he felt his feet dip backwards in a slow attempt to edge towards the outward bustle of the streets. The man laughed, and Naruto felt his heart race.

"Not anymore. You see, you were waiting for me."

Naruto looked confused and the man stepped forward, a stretch of light revealing a long white trench coat at his feet. The man continued.

"You and I have much to talk about." The man grabbed his hand and Naruto found himself being pulled into the darkness.

* * *

A/N--> ::gasps:: Who could it be? Well, when I update on sunday you'll find out. 

SPOILER (For the real Naruto)

I think that Paine looks more like a long lost brother than the 4th, don't you? He looks so young...and pierced. But with the Akatsuki you never know. And I'm betting the chick is Madara...or at least I think that's the right name. The one Kyuubi mentioned when Sasuke's Sharingan forced him back into Naruto.

I love this series. But man does it kill me.


	17. Jiraiya

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of your reviews. They're a light in my dark tunnel of homework and work.

Thanks also to Jaxx--she's the one who makes it possible for me to update so quickly, requesting a chapter a week.

And even more thanks to **Akaru-Chan**, whose beta is greatly appreciated! My story wouldn't be the same without her and her amazing advice.

Anywho, on with the story.

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**Chapter 17: Jiraiya**

Naruto let out an exasperated sound of distress as his back hit the rear of the passenger seat and felt an anxiety start to eat away at his stomach.

He turned to claw at the door of the vehicle but couldn't find the handle—in his mind, he couldn't even remember if modern cars had inner handles, and as the driver seat door opened he squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for whatever his kidnapper had prepared for him. His hands were shaking and his mind was racing and he felt like a child, unable to defend himself against the invasive intruder. A few seconds passed and the car was filled with the stranger's bubbly laughter, which caused Naruto to peek uncertainly out of his palms.

"I never expected you to be such a _scrawny_ little thing! Ha—to imagine. _The_ Naruto Uzumaki…what are you, sixteen?" This seemed to bring rise to a new set of jovial laughter, and the man doubled over, holding his stomach in fervor.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the man and took him in as if he were going to sketch him on paper. The man was clearly insane, and Naruto wanted to remember every single feature of the figure that had dragged him away from Shikamaru's workplace and into a ragged vehicle that felt strangely like a van.

First off, the man was old. Heavy set and ancient, with dark circles and crows feet that seemed to cling to his eyes like enigmas. His hair was a mess of white tangles, and his jaw was set in a manner that reminded Naruto of old Native American pictures he had once seen at the Denver Public History Museum; long and straight and outrageously defined. He was tan and somewhat well dressed, if you considered a loose pair of slacks and an ironed shirt dress-wear appropriate. Naruto watched him as he shook through his fit of chuckles and answered the man's question.

"Um, I'm almost twenty-two."

The man wiped tears from his reddening eyes and stared at Naruto before dissolving into another fit of laughter. Naruto groaned, no longer feeling threatened by the man's presence.

He vaguely wondered if the man was drunk and felt his muscles relax in the oddly bizarre situation. He waited for the stranger to calm downand stared quietly, his face mixed with impatience and skepticism. The man _must_ have been drunk.

"Haha—I'm sorry. Ha, it's just that Sarutobi didn't tell me, _haha_, that you were—well, such a shrimp." The laughs seemed to be clearing from the older man's system, and Naruto jumped forward, the familiar name catching his lips.

"Sarutobi? How the hell do you know Sarutobi?"

The man quieted and sat back in his seat, smiling as his morale seemed to calm. Naruto searched the man for answers and was grateful to receive them.

"Let's just say that Sarutobi's a distant relative and that he's left me…well, quite a bit of mail."

Naruto felt his pulse quicken and he leaned forward. "Then you know about me?" He asked fervently. The older man didn't respond, but rather shifted uneasily in his seat.

"I've come to find you on my own accord, not on his," he stated fluidly, and raised a finger to make point. "You were easier to find than I would have thought, which means that you're not as bright as I hoped you'd be."

Naruto scowled and puckered his lips in a way that drew offense. He sat back in his seat and spoke softly. "I didn't know I was living up to such high standards." The comment was laced with a coherent malice that the older gentleman didn't miss. He smiled.

"My name is Jiraiya, and though you may not realize it, you have been looking for me for quite some time."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and cocked his head backwards. "Right."

The man lifted his head and narrowed his temples, causing his face to crease severely, and Naruto followed his strict gaze to a new age lap top computer perched in the back seat of the bulky astro vehicle. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"You've read my comments and searched for my blog name more than anyone previous. Kid, I'm PervieOlMan."

Naruto's eyes widened and he felt an estranged choke emerge from his throat. "You-!?"

The man laughed and sighed. "Surprise, surprise. I knew it was you though. And I know all of your secrets. And probably things that not even you know."

Naruto leaned forward and snorted. "Well, are you going to tell me?"

Jiraiya chuckled again and leaned towards Naruto, running a rough hand through his blonde locks and jumbling their jelled perfection. Naruto shrugged his hand away and glared, trying to make the point that he was completely serious, all while maintaining strict eye contact with the geezer.

"Sorry, kiddo. Not enough time. I will tell you one thing though, so you better take it to heart."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. He hadn't decided whether the man was crazy or not, but there was no doubt in the fact that his intent was honest. The only person he had ever mentioned Sarutobi's name to was Shikamaru and this old man didn't appear as the type of company his Asian friend would keep. His ears perked as important words left the old man's mouth.

"Don't meet with Sakura. Figure it out without her." The words were cold and demanding.

"Why not?"

The older man's attention was diverted to the outside world and when his vision flew back to Naruto's, his gaze was intense. He leaned past Naruto and unlocked his door, pushing it open with a force the blonde hadn't imagined the senior could have. Naruto turned to ask what he was doing, but before words could leave his lips the old man shoved him out of the vehicle and onto the cold alley gravel beneath. His face looked slightly apologetic and he spoke in a low conspiratorial voice.

"Sorry kiddo, that's all I got. Heed my advice—we'll be in touch." In a flash of skin colored hue the door was pulled shut and the astro car sped off into the darkness of a street that connected to the alley. Naruto sat dejectedly and confused as the sound of rushing air trickled into the gentle gust of an evening breeze. He contemplated the man's sudden departure, and debated on whether or not the man really was insane. Though his actions had been rather coercive, Naruto felt keen to believe him, although he wasn't sure he wanted to follow the old man's advice. He needed to see Sakura. Why couldn't anyone understand that?

He pulled himself to his feet, the gravity of his situation finally buzzing through his system and he examined his surroundings with a nervous anticipation. It was pitch black and dead quiet. He could see a peak of light in a narrow slit before him and hoped it was the street, inwardly berating himself for not paying more attention when Jiraiya had dragged him off. He couldn't abuse himself too much though, because at the moment he had been being kidnapped. He shuffled forward, extending his arms to find a piece of wall to act as his guide towards the brimming light of what he hoped to be Sover. He walked quickly, the encroaching darkness beginning to irk him. He hated the dark—and above that, he hated being alone in it. He heard noises that in the daytime would have been normal, but at night took on ghostly substance in his mind, and it was more than a few times that he heard the familiar shuffle of feet behind him. Was someone following him? His heartbeat hastened.

He found himself almost jogging, peering back over his shoulder as the growing notion of being pursued overwhelmed his senses. He could feel it now. Eyes bearing into his back and strong, quick feet trailing his every movement. He looked back over his shoulder and saw it. Against a brush of light only slightly in the distance, a figure slipped by, hidden again as it came closer to him and further into the darkness that they both now shared. He swallowed and his stomach squeezed. He felt it. He needed to get away, and fast.

He stumbled over a half opened bag of trash and struggled to catch himself, losing the comforting leverage of the wall was he did so. His palms brushed the coarse gravel below him and he ignored the trickling sensation of blood that quickly crawled around his fingers. He tried to find the wall again, but instead, in his excited state, only ended up fumbling around loosely in the shadows. He tripped a few more times, catching himself and jumping up automatically, his legs pulsing with a fear-filled adrenaline, and he pushed himself to go faster. There was a crack. The figure was getting closer—walking faster. Jogging even. Naruto felt his eyes water. Damn, why was he so frightened? In Boulder he would have turned around and punched the freaky bastard, but here…the feeling that threatened his nerves was abusive and dangerous. The figure behind him wasn't just a normal passerby—it was stalking him for a purpose, and at the moment, Naruto felt a fear growing inside of him that he didn't recognize.

The light was getting bigger and much to Naruto's resolve, the bags and trash scattered around the alley were becoming more recognizable making them easier for him to dodge. But it was becoming easier for his pursuer as well, and Naruto could almost hear the heavy breathing from behind him and a tickling sensation tickled his skin. He was almost at the light—he was—there.

He emerged out onto a crowded street, neon lights painting the scene with a shallow ineptitude, and he stumbled through, hoping to lose the stranger in the massive throng of night-going people. He pushed past some until his adrenaline seemed to stop, and he felt the sudden urge to stop and breathe. He hadn't been breathing, he realized, as he had run through the alley, and now that he was walking, his lungs were screaming for a chance to catch up with him. He found his way to a sidelong wall and breathed hard, trying to stop the tears that wouldn't calm in his aching eyes, and for the first time in a while, he realized that it wasn't only because of the fear he had just encountered, but because of everything. Sakura, Kiba, Sasuke, Shikamaru—everything was running though his head, pushing tears of anger and fear from the deepest parts of his psyche. He felt a hand graze his shoulder and peered up, his muscles immediately tensing. He was in a defensive mode, and his thoughts were becoming hostile.

"Are you alright?" It was a tall man, about Naruto's age, with brimming brown hair and hazel eyes. He looked innocent enough, but his lips quirked with another story.

"I'm fine." Naruto answered quickly, dusting the unwanted attention from his shoulder. The boy raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Because you don't look so good." The words were tactless and sardonic. They weren't full of worry, they were full of warning. The man's hand drifted to Naruto's and he quickly whipped it away.

"Get the fuck away from me." He wasn't in the mood. He was frightened and the adrenaline that had faded from his system was beginning to revitalize.

Why didn't anyone see him? Why was it that every time he didn't want attention, he received it, but every time he needed it—desperately needed it—it was non**-**existent?

The boy stepped backwards, a sour look of interest quelling his features. And then Naruto smelled it. The man was drunk.

"That's not the type of fuck I was thinking about."

Naruto saw the man lean forward, and felt the body drape against his. He smelled the liquor and the disgusting blanket of intoxicated lust that seemed to seep from the very hinges of the figure on him and he snapped.

Pulling his fist back, he slammed it hard into the man'sface, wincing as his fist stung from the blow.

A crack sounded against the hazel eyed boy's gentle features, and Naruto scrambled away, ignoring the painful protest of his victim. People were watching him now, unsure of what to think and he felt his heart race as he tried to figure out where he was. Was this Sover Street? He had no idea. Many of the streets didn't have street signs. As if people just knew naturally where they were. He glanced up at the buildings, searching for a familiar label but quickly realizing that he hadn't visited this place long enough to know one.

He grimaced as he was grabbed from behind and he turned, his face tensing as the boy he had cuffed leered above him, blood trickling from a swelling lump on his lip.

"Okay, blondie. That was uncalled for." Naruto saw his fist rise and he pushed backroughly, crying out as he stumbled backwards, forcing the boy off of him. He fell back into someone and turned quickly to apologize, but stopped as he took in the familiar figure with long dark lashes and pitch black eyes.

"S-sasuke," He managed, and from behind him the brown haired boy lunged. Naruto wasn't sure why his body was thinking for itself, and he was even more surprised that he didn't make an effort to fight the drunken man off in the first place. Instead, he found his arms grasping Sasuke's with an intense sort of need and he buried his head into Sasuke's shirt, hugging the boy to him closely. He was frightened and confused and it seemed like the only thing he was able to do.

The attack that was to come did not, and Naruto didn't peel his figure from Sasuke's shirt to figure out why. Sasuke had leaned forward slightly and Naruto had heard an intense blow, which he assumed to be Sasuke setting his own rage to the bemused and drunken teenager and he clenched the raven haired man closer, breathing heavily into the soft and dark apparel of his savior. He breathed in the smell of Sasuke, a smell that was specific to the older boy, but one he hadn't quite placed until this moment. It was strong, and musky and made him feel feverish. After a moment, he felt a strong arm encircle his waist, and Sasuke's voice before the sound of an Icon send request.

"I've got him. I'll meet you back at Bender's." Bender's Tavern, Naruto remembered the name of the bar restaurant.

Naruto didn't want to remove himself from the older boy, even though he knew it was awkward and that he was most likely making a scene. But his face was covered in tears and he knew that he would have some explaining to do. Explaining that he wasn't looking forward to.

His courage got the best of him and he pushed himself off of the Uchiha, keeping his head lowered. He really didn't want the older boy to see his flushed complexion or the confusion he felt. Sasuke didn't ask though, only took his hand and pulled him through the crowd. And though his actions were protective and kind, Naruto could tell that he was angry, and for some odd reason, that made him feel even worse.

There was a group of teenagers ahead that were eying him strangely, and Sasuke pulled him close, repeating the gesture that Neji had used to protect him from wandering hands, and Naruto felt at ease when the lean arm enveloped his waist. He tripped forward, trying to keep up with Sasuke's pace, and was surprised when the boy diverted him sideways and into a set of familiar plated glass doors. Naruto attempted to protest as Sasuke yanked him forward, pulling him through the remaining crowds at the bar, and towards the grand ascending staircase. He stumbled up them, looking towards Sasuke, trying to gage what the man was thinking but only fumbled clumsily up the remaining steps to the third floor. Couples were eying them dejectedly, and Naruto felt embarrassed. It probably looked like Sasuke had made him cry.

The raven haired boy only pulled him into the empty dining hall before releasing him, the momentum sending Naruto forward. The blonde heard the doors close soundly and he turned to the Uchiha, nervous to see the expression on his face. And surprisingly, it wasn't one of anger. It was one of…worry?

Naruto didn't have to long to think about it before Sasuke had him up against a wall, a soft mouth overcoming Naruto's quivering lips, begging for some sort of entrance. Sasuke's body was pressed against Naruto's, and at the moment, the change in atmosphere was almost welcomed. In all of the commotion, Naruto hadn't realized just how cold he had become and as his skin shivered and broadened in desire for the heated touch and he simply gave in.

Sasuke's tongue found his with a momentum that Naruto would have never imagined possible and he found himself unable to collect his thoughts. Confusing feelings were engulfing his senses and he pressed himself closer, longing for the touch—for the comfort. He had felt so alone for so long, and this interaction made him feel so—so needed. He groaned as Sasuke's hips kneaded against his and Sasuke whispered a hoarse comment against his cheek.

"I was worried about you..." And at that moment, Naruto seemed to come back to his senses; the reality of the situation and his actions flooding him. He shook his head, breathing hard, his hands slowly causing a break between him and the other boy. He suddenly felt guilty.

"I'm…I'm not…gay…" He offered, his words sounding astute and confused. Sasuke didn't look ready to give up his conquest, but he pulled away anyhow, leaving room for Naruto to slide to the floor in an effort to calm whatever hormones were raging through him. Sasuke pulled out a chair above him and glared, finally showing the anger that Naruto had anticipated.

"Who was it?" he asked, his voice harsh.

Naruto was confused. "Wha—?"

"Who the fuck was it?" The Uchiha demanded. "Because it sure as hell wasn't me that asked for a secret meeting in the middle of a street!"

Naruto suddenly realized. "Oh. I don't know…" He debated on what to tell the boy, but his mind wasn't working right enough to make up something clever and hide the man's identity. "His name was Jiraiya."

Sasuke's eyes seemed to gloss over and he growled. "So you stalk out and meet some mysterious guy. Way to be intelligent. What next?"

Naruto shrugged, his mind still placid. "I don't know, all right! He told me not to see Sakura—and then he left. And then that guy—I don't know!"

Naruto buried his head in his hands and felt his eyes begin to water again. He felt like a girl. He felt weak. He tried to calm his breathing, but more words came out.

"I'm so tired. I'm stuck here, and I am so fucking tired." He let the tears come easily this time, and was startled when Sasuke placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, his blue eyes dilating in the bright light.

"I told you I'd help with her, didn't I?" His words were calm and collected, and his expression had softened somewhat. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"But you won't let me see her. You're such a liar."

An unfamiliar emotion passed Sasuke's face and he looked downward, his eyes narrowing at the blonde boy. "Even Jiraiya told you to stay away from her. If not him and me, what will it take?"

"Seeing her for myself." He answered, and Sasuke shook his head. The raven haired boy stood up and growled.

"Look, I'll make you a deal."

Naruto almost laughed. "Another one?"

"A real one."

Naruto mouthed an 'oh' and continued to listen to the boy.

"I'll let you meet her, but I need to be there with you the entire time. Don't give me that look, just trust me," Naruto shifted and continued to listen. "And I want you to promise me that if I help you figure out your mystery, you'll help me clear my brother's name."

Naruto's eyes screwed into contortion at the last comment. "What?"

But before Sasuke could answer, the door to the dining hall burst open and a very disheveled Shikamaru busted in. He looked irritated and he rolled his eyes. "You are so troublesome." He said, and he loosened the tie that hung professionally over his chest. Naruto lowered his head and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I really thought that it was Sasuke who contacted me."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow before plopping onto an embellished chair. "And how is that?"

Naruto raised his eyes. "Because he asked if I was with you."

Shikamaru looked alarmed and turned his eyes to Sasuke. "Who was it?"

Sasuke answered smoothly. "Jiraiya."

Shikamaru's eyes widened larger than Naruto had ever seen. "Jiraiya? Man Naruto, " the Asian boy retuned his attention to the blonde, "People are coming out of the framework for you."

Naruto wasn't entirely sure what that comment meant, but he nodded and moved his hands downward, wincing as one of them shot out with pain. When he looked down, he cringed.

"You're bleeding!" Shikamaru dodged to his side, and Sasuke looked attentive. Naruto breathed.

"When I was coming back—there was someone following me. It was…scary…"

Sasuke knelt past Shikamaru and pulled Naruto to his feet, surprising the both of them. Shikamaru stood up and eyed the raven boy, and Sasuke answered his concerns.

"I'm going to take him with me for tonight and I'll bring him back to you tomorrow. There's an angry kid outside and I don't want him trailing you."

Shikamaru looked from Sasuke to Naruto and Naruto nodded. "It's alright."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the interaction but said nothing. "Right, then I'm out of here."

Shikamaru picked up his jacket and headed for the door. "My shift ended an hour ago, thank you."

Naruto spoke before the door closed behind him. "Thank you, Shikamaru."

A grunt was his only response. Naruto looked up at Sasuke and nodded.

"You need to finish explaining." He stated, and Sasuke replied. "Hn."

After a pause, he spoke again. "But first, you need to get cleaned up."

Naruto looked down and noticed just how abused he looked. He was bloody and dirty, and he was sure his face was streaked in red. He sighed. "Yeah, I guess so."

Sasuke grabbed his hand and Naruto looked down at it. Before he could protest Sasuke was moving forward, directing him again. Naruto looked down again at the hand, and without entirely realizing it, let his lips curl upward in approval.

* * *

A/N--> Awe. 

On the REAL NAruto: (SPOILER WARNING)

I think I need to take a break on reading the manga...not that I will, of course. But every time I read it I can't stop thinking about it for hours...and when you've got exams...well, you know. It can be troublesome (or so Shikamaru would say). Especially this week's chapter!

I'm revising my opinion...at least temporarily. The leader had a sharingan, right? So is that person Madara? And Itachi's lookin' a little worse for wear...he's been thinking about Sasuke a LOT for quite a while...and I have this feeling that it's not hostile. And I'm really interested to find out Naruto's connection to all of this...Dah! Now I'm stuck in the thinking loop again.

::deep sigh::

Until the next. Ja--


	18. Haruno Sakura

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for your inspiring reviews...they helped me push out 3 chapters this week. I'm thinking that this story will probably be about 40-45...but we'll have to see. I know you're all excited to read about Sakura so I'll just ramble at the bottom.

haha.

Oh, and thank you Akaru-chan! May my chapters be better written because of your wisdom.

* * *

**Chapter 18: Haruno Sakura**

Sasuke's vehicle was unlike any other he had been in, simply because it was most likely as expensive as they came. Though Naruto had no idea what half of the interior buttons indicated, he was positive that the surplus of them were relevant to wealth in some way. He let his eyes drift to Sasuke's form that was seated astutely in the driver's seat, focused on the extension of highway ahead, thefloating highway markers lighting his features in a rhythmic manner.

Naruto was slouched low in his seat, avoiding any sort of visual run-in he was tempted to encounter by taking in the incredible night view of the city. His arms were crossed preemptively across his chest and stomach, prepared for a nausea he had grown accustomed to. He felt slightly awkward as they drove in silence and he sighed long and hard. He was exhausted. The events of the day finallycaught up to him like a ton of bricks and he felt his eyes close.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked about my brother yet," Sasuke stated, and Naruto jerked his eyes open. He glanced at the raven hare boy and shrugged.

"I didn't know if now was a good time." In all actuality, he had purposely put off the question due to the fact he could barely keep awake. It seemed important to his comrade, whatever the situation, and he wanted to be awake enough to understand it.

"Hn. Don't fall asleep yet. We're almost there."

Naruto heeded the advice, although reluctantly.His eyelids were developing a mind of their own and his slouched position was only furthering the intensity of his sleepiness. He sat up and turned inward, making sure not to glance outside of the windows, but pulling himself to a more comfortable position. He rubbed his eyes.

"I suppose you weren't lying about the acrophobia." The Uchiha noticed, and for this particular question he gave Naruto an amused look. Naruto waved his hand noncommittally and rolled his eyes. "I'll live. I'm too tired to care right now."

And it was the truth. He couldn't bring himself to focus on the normal effects of his sky venturing and he merely stared at Sasuke in order to stay awake and alert. He hoped that the manwould say something else, simply because their conversation was helping to maintain his vigilance. As if in answer to his thoughts, Sasuke spoke.

"Jiraiya is an important figure in neuroscience. He helped with a great deal of the original development for cryogenics—well, for this time period, at least. Most of the information I've used came from his studies."

Naruto took in the information and nodded. "He seemed kind of shady to me."

Sasuke shook his head. "He used to be the head of the Osington facilities, but when Fang took over he had to go into hiding."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sasuke made a sharp left and Naruto felt his stomach drop. He slid back into his seat and rubbed his stomach pleadingly. Sasuke eyed him momentarily before apologizing.

"Sorry. You see,Jiraiya's smart and he doesn't like working under other people."

Naruto nodded. "I get it, I think. Fang wanted him and he didn't want to stay. But what does that have to do with me?"

Sasuke rubbed a finger across his nose and Naruto felt the astro vehicle descend. As it brushed pavement, he felt his stomach calm. Turning to Sasuke, he peered inquisitively, waiting for an answer. The raven licked his lips.

"I don't know. But we're going to find out." He stepped out of the car, and Naruto followed in suite, hissing as his hand ached at the sudden extension. Blood had caked itself around his fingers and his knuckles had bruised, and he felt a little embarrassed that he had gotten so violent earlier. He stared at his fist for a moment before lifting his sight to their sought destination, and he felt his eyes widen.

The house—or mansion, was more than anything he could even imagine a place of living to be. It stretched at least seven stories high all of the interior viewable through a gigantic wall made of nothing but tinted glass in the front. The driveway was long and wide and Naruto admired the lush adornment of grass that embellished the face of the modern monstrosity. He felt a cool breeze whisper through, and jumped when Sasuke hollered to him from the front door.

"You coming?" Naruto noted that he looked vaguely annoyed, and he jogged forward, wondering just how much money Sasuke had. As he followed Sasuke into the house, he noticed the Uchiha flick a button that turned the glass opaque, and he stared in awe.

"This place is ama—"

"Don't say it. I hate this house." Sasuke's words were crisp and short, and Naruto felt dejected as he continued to take in the fresh furniture and articulate placement of everything. The entire living area was spotless and organized, and to his surprise, nearly completely unlived in. He turned to Sasuke who was making an effort to turn on some lights.

"It's really…clean." Naruto managed and he was brandished with a mental image of his ownstudio and itscurrent fervor. He wandered towards a flat screen television set. Narutofelt warm fingers encircle his hand, and turned to see Sasuke glaring down at him rather obtrusively. His eyes were darker than usual.

"Come on. You're a mess."

Naruto allowed Sasuke to lead him a few steps before he shook off the hand, content to follow in his own pace. He walked up a spiral set of stairs, edging close to the wall as the distance between himself and the main floor greatened. As if reading his thoughts Sasuke turned and took hold of his hand, pulling him lightly to the second floor landing. Though the action made Naruto feel a little like a child, it also strangely alleviated his nerves. Asthey arrived on the second floor, Sasuke released him, content to allow the blonde to follow at his own pace. Naruto obliged, admiring the stark white walls with impressionist artwork succinctly placed as every turn. The house wasn't as big as it had appeared from the outside, but Naruto didn't comment. He followed Sasuke into a bedroom and realizedthat it was a guest room and that it would be his for the night. Sasuke turned on the reserve light and turned towards him.

"You can stay here for tonight. I'm going to go get some clothes and antibiotics—go ahead and take a shower. The bathroom is the first room to your right." He pointed mechanically and Naruto wondered how many guests the Uchiha had previously accustomed. He decided not to ask. Sasuke was an attractive guy, and rich. His guests were probably endless.

He watched Sasuke leave before venturing into the bathroom, anxious to clean the awkward feelings of the day from his tanned skin. He was also tired and decided to make the bathing experience fast. He commanded the hot water into play and scrubbed the dirt and grime from his skin, grimacing when the hot water brushed the small cut in his palm. He decided not to use his right hand for shampoo lathering, and managed with his left, watching the water at the base of the standing stall turn a light hue of brown as the dirt cleared itself from him. There was a noise outside of the stall and he turned around.

"Clothes and a towel." It was Sasuke and Naruto could tell that he was making an effort to be discreet. It was natural for the man to be polite due to his business stature, and Naruto felt a little like a burden. He quickly finished his ministrations and exited the shower, drying himself quickly and pulling on the soft black tee that Sasuke had lent him, and also a long pair of white sleeping trousers. The hem shuffled along the floor and the blonde shrugged. He had never considered himself short before this incident.

He dried his hair and exited the bathroom, the feeling of cool air meeting steam intoxicating and calming. As if Sasuke had heard him, the raven sauntered in, already clad in sleepwear. In his hand he held a small baggy of what appeared to be Neosporin and band aids, and Naruto collapsed onto the bed.

"I'm so tired." He said and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Give me your hand." The Uchiha was beside him now, taking in Naruto's right hand of his own initiative. Naruto glanced at him with a bit of annoyance.

"I'm perfectly able to do this myself." He didn't know why he felt defensive, but he assumed that the long events of the day seemed to trigger it. Sasuke glared at him before dropping the bag beside him and standing tall.

"Be ready to leave tomorrow at nine in the morning. I've got a meeting with Sakura at 9:30, and I want to make sure we're in agreement with each other before you see her."

Naruto shifted and popped open the clear baggy. "Yeah. About your brother, right?"

Sasuke was silent for a moment, and then he nodded. Naruto watched as he turned to leave, but stopped him.

"Can I ask you a weird question?" The raven turned, his expression tired and somber. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Do you really think there's a way for me to get back home?"

Naruto had been wondering that question for a long period of time, and it was beginning to weigh on him. He eyed the Uchiha, his blue eyes dull with hints of his exhaustion.

Sasuke looked serious for a moment before diverting his eye contact. "I don't know."

Naruto felt his stomach drop slightly, a part of him wishing that Sasuke had all of the answers that he needed. A look crossed the Uchiha's face that Naruto had never seen before and Naruto grinned in an attempt to relieve the tension he had created.

"Don't worry about it. Goodnight, Sasuke."

Sasuke peered to him and waved his hand, not bothering with a verbal response. Naruto commanded the light off, and drifted into a heavy sleep.

* * *

The next morning was hazy and fast-paced, and Naruto found himself dressed and ready to depart nearly ten minutes before nine o'clock. He was strangely used to borrowing other people's clothes, but for some awkward reason, wearing Sasuke's was just plain uncomfortable. It didn't help that the older boy was also taller, and the blonde had inwardly groaned when he was forced to roll up the hem of a loose pair of denim jeans to ensure the turn-up wouldn't get scuffed. As he jogged down the stairs he noted absently that Sasuke was waiting, and on top of that the raven was holding a paper towel wrapped concoction that smelled suspiciously like toast. He licked his lips. 

"So you don't starve yourself." The man said, and chucked the small wrapping to Naruto. He caught it with both hands and followed his boss out of the front door and to the jet black vehicle that sat calmly in the driveway. He took a quick bite before stepping inside, mentally debating whether eating before the trip was a wise idea. The smooth taste of the gooey jam on his tongue erased his fearsas he munched away, making a mental observation that the Uchiha didn't seem to be a morning person. He was quiet and focused, and Naruto wondered if it was due to the deal they had yet to discuss or about the mere five hours of sleep the two had received the previous night.

The astro car drifted into the air and Naruto turned inwards, a movement that was becoming routine for him. He took a deep breath as he swallowed a chunk of overly dressed toast and tilted his attention upward when Sasuke broke the silence.

"I'm not comfortable telling you everything, but I can tell you what I think you should know. That should be enough," he added, turning onto a skyway ramp.

Naruto chewed on a piece of crust before responding. "Um, alright."

Sasuke continued as if Naruto hadn't commented, running a hand through his smooth hair.

"My brother is in hiding. He has been for a while. He's a suspect…for the murder of my parents."

Naruto took a sharp intake of breath and his eyes widened. He glowered at the driver, the desire to finish his toast slowly fading from his lips. He opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke cut him off.

"I don't need sympathy. What I need is someone who's able to prove him innocent."

Naruto felt a cold feeling build in his stomach and he was not surprised by the feeling of sympathy that _had_ begun to brew in his mind. Uchiha's icy exterior was almost fitting in light of the new information and Naruto wasn't entirely sure how he was expected to comment. In any normal situation he would have replied with a collective 'I'm sorry', but for this occasion it just seemed too jovial. He sat silent for a moment and let words leave his lips placidly.

"How am I supposed to help you do that?"

Sasuke shifted the car upward, a sign that they were entering on to a long distance skyway, and Naruto began to regret eating the fruit smothered toast. He crumpled the napkin up and lowered himself in the seat, trying not to catch the peaks of skyscrapers that billowed past in his peripheral vision. Instead, he focused on Sasuke, who's usual calm exterior looked slightly abused. It was obvious that this information rarely left the confines of his own mind, and for a moment, the blonde felt privileged.

"Jiraiya once had a theory about time. That it isn't linear. Meaning—"

"You can go back and forth in it." Naruto finished as if it were a line he had heard being recited before. He bit his lip. "I hate to break it to you, but I don't know about any of that."

Sasuke shook his head. "Of course you don't. You wouldn't—you're too old. Figuratively speaking."

Naruto looked a little offended but kept quiet, allowing for the raven haired boy to continue.

"But Jiraiya does. He knows a lot. And the fact that he's made an effort to come see you proves it."

Naruto raised a skeptical eyebrow. "If he knew how to go back in time, don't you think he would be a little more valuable?"

Sasuke glared at him. "I already told you that he's in hiding from Fang. If they knew he had come to find you…Let's just say that from now on it's very important that you stay with either Shikamaru or myself."

Naruto paused a moment to think. "What about Neji?"

Sasuke shook his head and curved the wheel to the left, causing Naruto to dip right against the window.

"No. Neji doesn't know about you. It's best it stays that way, too."

Naruto waited for Sasuke to elaborate, but after a few moments of impending silence, he decided to vocalize his own question.

"Well, if that's the case with Jiraiya, why do you need my help? You could probably just ask him yourself, couldn't you?"

Sasuke almost growled. "He pulled himself out of hiding for _you_, Naruto. If he's going to share any opportunities or information, it's going to be with you."

A steady realization began to overwhelm the blonde, and he clicked his tongue.

"I get it. When I'm on my way back to the past, you want me to go ahead and solve your mystery, right?"

Sasuke looked vaguely annoyed. "That would be the general idea."

Naruto sat for a moment in contemplation before readjusting himself in his seat. He ran a finger across the smooth outlet of his lower lip and narrowed his eyes.

"You're putting a great deal of faith in Jiraiya's ability."

Sasuke was somber.

"It's my only option, and in some strange turn of events, you've become my only link."

Naruto felt the car descend and was pleasantly surprised when he discovered that they had landed somewhere on the countryside and not in a crammed inner city landing zone. He turned to open the door, but Sasuke grabbed his wrist. Cerulean eyes turned to graze onyx and Naruto raised a questioningeyebrow.

"Is it a deal or not?"

Naruto lowered his gaze momentarily, taking in the gravity of the situation. If what Sasuke said was true, his ability was capable of affecting a great deal of people other than himself. And to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure what Sasuke expected of him. Proving someone innocent of murder was one thing—if you're there. But how was he expected to transcend that information to the 'now'?

He thought for a moment, and turned his attention to the hotel size cottage they had sauntered by, his heart feeling cramped. He was a word away from seeing the love of his life, though for some reason she felt like a distant memory. Even so, everything eh had been working so hard for was right in front of him—the answers to his mystery, the solution to hers, and all at the price of a simple obligation. The blonde twisted to meet the raven's gaze and nodded.

"It's a deal."

Sasuke looked relieved, but didn't release Naruto's hand. Naruto glanced at their attachment before returning his attention to Sasuke's expression that was entirely serious. He felt his eyes narrow to match the intensity of the other's.

"What?" He asked.

"Be careful."

Naruto almost laughed. He had never encountered anyone so intent on demeaning Sakura and for the first time he completely ignored the warning. It was ridiculous for him to picture his fiancée as dangerous and aside from that, he was too anxious to see her to really heed any of the Uchiha's warnings. He nodded absently and pulled his grip from the paler boy, stepping out of the vehicle and taking in a deep breath of fresh cool industry free air.

He could feel Sasuke glaring at him as he emerged from hi own side, but he ignored it. The deal had been made, and as far as he was concerned, his activities involving Sakura were his to be made. He allowed Sasuke to take the lead into the wood trimmed structure, admiring how tall it stood against the horizon. He didn't have much time to take in its exterior before he had entered and he was surprised to find that it was a house and not a hotel.

Within the entryway stood a collected male guard, who nodded vaguely at Sasuke and more questionably at Naruto. The blonde felt himself hasten his pace, following Sasuke to a set of elevators near what appeared to be a giant common room kitchen.

"Is this a house?" He asked. It was too large to be so.

"It's a resort. Wealthy people are able to rent it out for periods of time, and sometimes multiple people stay here at once."

Naruto nodded, but the notion seemed like something you would have to be rich to understand. He was convinced that if he was set loose in the building he would easily get lost, and the striking similarities between the interior design and the common hospital drew in the more cynical part of his humor. As they traveled up to the 5th floor, Naruto felt his nerves begin to tighten. He was excited but alsoextremely nervous. He began to bob, another nervous tick. He saw Sasuke glare at him from the corner of his vision, but he didn't have the energy to respond neither physically or verbally.

The doors opened, and Naruto let Sasuke lead, even though all he wanted to do was run down the hall and burst through the suite doors. He reluctantly contained himself and shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to distract himself from the anticipation welling in his gut.

Sasuke gave him one last warning look before opening the doors and Naruto felt as if time was standing still. A familiar voice sang to him, and he felt his eyes close, as if it were this one moment he had been waiting for his entire life.

"Donovan said that you were here, Sasu—" The voice was cut off. "Na-Naruto?"

It seemed like ages since he had heard his name peel from those perfect lips and he let his eyes filter open to take in the familiar figure of his fiancée. And with a vague sense of shock, he realized that she looked slightly older than he had remembered, but still as beautiful. Sasuke had maneuvered to one of the loft style chairs, and Naruto was grateful for his polite action. It allowed him to move forward to the familiar woman, taking in every piece of her he had waited an eternity to see. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were a dimming green, a familiar and homely shade he had forgotten and her hair was still tinted in a pink fervor. Her lips parted as he came closer, as if to say something, but he silenced the notion by resting his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. He breathed, taking her in, remembering a past that seemed mysteriously like a dream—all until this moment.

"I have been looking for you for so long," he stated, his breath running ragged across her temple. He felt her shift beneath him and he opened his eyes, coming face to face with hers. They were clear and all-seeing and while Naruto expected her to cry for joy, she merely stared at him as if he were a ghost.

"I thought you died." She said in a monotone voice, her lips barely moving as the words escaped. She turned her attention to the Uchiha, who was dutifully staring out one of the high-rise glass windows and avoiding the reunification.

"Sasuke, what is the meaning of this?" Her tone was unclear, and Naruto wasn't sure if she was angry or confused. Either way, he wasn't sure he could blame her. The entire situation was bizarre.

"I found him and he wanted to see you." He stated neutrally, not turning to gaze contact with either of them. Naruto watched as her attention flew back to him, and she seemed flustered. He felt his stomach tighten and wanted to embrace her.

"What happened?" She said to him, her voice decisive. Naruto felt confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you here?" She restated, her eyes searching his for some sort of answer.

Naruto stepped backwards and ran a hand through his hair. "I was hoping you could tell me."

Sakura stepped backward and took a seat at a stunted oak dining room table, taking a quick gulp of a gold liquid which he assumed to be champagne. Naruto watched her carefully. It was normal that she would be this surprised, especially if she had thought he was dead. But there was something brewing within him, deep in the bowels of his insides. Why did she look so relieved to know that he didn't remember?

"The last thing I remember is the party…and falling." He said. "No matter how hard I try to remember, nothing else comes to mind."

Sakura seemed to be searching the floor in an effort to reorganize her thoughts and as if she had suddenly come to a conclusion, she shot up from her chair and embraced him.

"I'm so _sorry_…I should have kissed you the moment you walked in…but this is such a surprise. I thought—I thought you had _died,_ and I…"

Naruto was surprised at how easily their forms fit together, but was a little shaken. The encounter was different than he had imagined, and pieces weren't making sense. He hugged her tight and eyed her, his eyes begging for some sort of explanation.

She seemed to understand and nodded, leading him to the dinette table. Her attention turned to Sasuke, who was watching them with a blatant distaste. Her eyes narrowed and she sat down to speak with Naruto.

"You disappeared that night, Naruto. A lot of things happened afterwards. Sarutobi gave me your plans and I came here. They needed to be protected."

Her explanation was clipped, and Naruto could tell that she was uncomfortable talking to him with Sasuke seated nearly ten feet away. He thought it was odd, considering that they were a couple as well. At least in a social aspect.

"I disappeared?" He stated, as if the thought was finally connecting with his mind. Sakura nodded convincingly, and Naruto felt his eyes dim. That didn't make any sense. He remembered being with her and Kiba.

"What about Kiba?" He asked, and Sakura stared at him momentarily. After a moment of what appeared to be silent contemplation, she spoke.

"Naruto, it was Kiba that—"

She was cut off as the door to the room opened, and a tall business attired man poked in, searching for her. When his eyes found hers, he bowed.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but your appointment must be kept." His tone was strict. She looked to Naruto with a vague hesitation before nodding to the gentleman, who soon after let himself out. She turned to Naruto and leaned forward, her lips brushing his ear in a secretive manner.

"Naruto, we can't see each other. Things are different here…and people have to believe that your idea was mine."

She pulled away, her eyes straightening out into one of command, and Naruto felt his insides tighten even more. She leaned forward and lightly pecked his lips, pulling away to stand from the table.

"Things aren't the same…and there's nothing we can do to change the past."

Naruto stood up and glared at her, a sudden anger overwhelming him.

"What were you going to say about Kiba?"

Sakura shook her hand and started heading towards the door. "You can't change the past Naruto, so just forget about it."

Naruto was about to follow her when she abruptly turned to Sasuke.

"May I have a word with you?" She asked. He looked indignant, but stood up to follow her out. He didn't glance at Naruto, but Naruto crept to the door as it clicked shut, the abrupt departure of his fiancée leaving a burnt confusion in his mind. He listened closely, but could only make out Sasuke's sentiments.

"He said you were his fiancée…I realize that…Of course…Hn…"

Naruto fell away from the door, his mind racing. Sakura must feel torn, he told himself. Especially if she thought that I was dead.

But what about Kiba? Naruto sat down onto the couch and buried his head in his hands, not quite sure if he regretted the encounter or not. He supposed that he could be happy for Sakura, as she appeared well taken care of and such, but it didn't quell the awkward feeling in his heart. It was strange though, above being angry or sad, he was confused.

He waited impatiently for Sasuke to reenter, and when he did, he stood quickly.

"Let's get out of here." He said, brushing past the raven-haired man.

The Uchiha looked a little surprised, but followed Naruto to the elevators.

"I told you." Sasuke stated and Naruto bristled. An uncomfortable feeling was brewing within him and he felt questions of all sorts juggling in his head. What was Sakura telling Sasuke? Why was Sasuke agreeing? Why didn't Sasuke trust Sakura? Where was Kiba? Why did Sarutobi give his thesis to Sakura—and why was it necessary that she come to the future to protect it?

There were too many loose ends, and he felt as though he was back to square one, alone in his quest for the truth. Even as Sasuke pulled him closer to avoid the painstaking gestures of other males in the elevator, Naruto tensed. For some reason, his somewhat personal problem had just exploded into a conspiracy.

* * *

**Review!**

Make my day!

A/N--> Sakura's a piece of work, right?

REAL NARUTO:

Man, I feel dumb guys. I completely forgot about Obito...haha. What kind of a fan am I::cries::

Hey--anyone know where to find the 4th movie? I'm completely stoked.

Funny note. I went to Japan earlier this month, or I guess last month...and you wouldn't believe how much Naruto stuff I DIDN'T find. I had to go to the gaming district to find figures...I attempted to locate an artbook--something, anything! I guess it wasn't to be. Sad story, I know.

See you guys on Sunday!


	19. Deciphering Friendship

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** Honestly, if I owned Naruto I wouldn't be glued to my computer every friday in an attempt to read the latest chapter.

**Comments:** I have had the WORST problems with my cable and internet service. Words cannot convey how happy I am it's up at least now for me to post a new chapter. Important note though: I will be moving into a new apartment sometime in late September so there will probably be a week or so of no updates while I get everything reconfigured. A travesty, I know.

Thank you for all of the reviews! We broke 300 guys. ::throws confetti::

To reply to some reviewers:

**Rena116:** There are a lot of websites where you can find the imports of anime for really cheap, merely because they don't carry the english language version. To be honest, I think that fact is a miracle because the dubbing...well, you know. Both of these are www dot coms: animekrazy and animeniacs(which is conveniently right down the street from me! haha) but if you go to those websites you should have no problems finding the movies, boxsets, and probably even more for less.

**Mike:** Thank you for all of your reviews--you're really taking in everything. I'll do my best to keep you on your toes.

And then, for everyone who has made comments about Japan, I will talk about it at the bottom.

Have fun!

* * *

**Chapter 19: Deciphering Friendship**

The return ride home was quiet and dissolute and Naruto, despite his fear of heights, found himself more willing to chance a glance out the passenger side window of his side than face the Uchiha across from him. His mind was riddled with impossible questions and his eyes were contorted into a strange concentration one that seemed more apt to distract him from his current discomfort than to actually decipher the situation he had just encountered.

Naruto breathed deeply and bit his lip, the awkward feeling of confusion and defeat causing his stomach to sink even lower in his gut. He watched wistfully as an astro car sped by and he was surprised to notice how normal the action seemed to him. Flying cars and hovering highways had become an intricate part of his everyday life and as the realization hit him, he felt his mind become blank.

Even if he was able to go back in time, what would be waiting for him?

He shook his head and rethought the situation. He had to go back in time before his collapse, if it was at all possible. To stop the events that led to this future. But his mind seemed to stall as he considered the gravity of his decision. Changing the past could have dramatic effects on the future and in his opinion, this current one wasn't completely destruction worthy. It was just a new culture. He closed his eyes.

No matter what, he had to return. If not for his promise to Sasuke, butfor the strict purpose of deciphering what exactly had happened to him on that night. There was something amiss in the entire situation [no comma and he was beginning to feel the strange onset of paranoia sinking in. Who could he trust? If he couldn't depend on the one person he had depended on most, who was to say that everyone else he had made acquaintance with wasn't out for themselves? And Sasuke, who was supposedly engaged to Sakura, seemed the most suspicious. As if reading his thoughts, the pale man spoke.

"You're being awfully quiet." It was a statement and Naruto didn't turn to respond, and he let words run with lethargy from his lips.

"I don't want to talk about it." It was a lie. He _did_want to talk about it, but with someone he felt he could completely trust. As much as Sasuke had given him an air of trust in the past, Naruto couldn't be sure that it was friendship.

Maybe you just don't want to trust anyone, his mind ventured. He hadn't considered that before. The astro vehicle dropped quickly, too fast for it to have been a mistake and Naruto's eyes widened as he caught sight of the ground, nearly a hundred feet downward, climbing up towards him. His stomach pinched at him and his head began to pound and he quickly spun himself to face inwards in the car, cursing at the Uchiha. When the car steadied he opened his eyes, glaring at the alabaster man, hislips pursed. Sasuke seemed to be content, although his features were very serious.

"Finally, you're acting like yourself." He stated, and Naruto huddled into his seat rolling his eyes.

"Well, what did you expect?" He bristled. He kicked his leg against the dashboard in an annoyed fashion, not entirely able to contain the rush of emotions that were coursing through him. Sasuke seemed to notice, because he spoke without regard for the blonde's emotions, a clear intention for Naruto to let everything out.

"I told you that she wasn't the way you thought."

Naruto snapped.

"How would you even know what she was like? How would you even know what she _is_ like? Are you ever even _with_ her?" It was an honest comment. It was unusual for two fiancées to never be around each other, and the only hint Naruto ever seemed to graze of their connection was his first encounter with Sasuke, where Sakura had paid a male escort to accompany him. And now, after meeting Sakura and realizing that she was his same old friend, the idea seemed repulsive and strange. Who _did_ that?

Sasuke seemed untouched by Naruto's accusation and merely shrugged.

"This might come as a shock to you, but I am completely homosexual." The words slid from Sasuke's tongue as if they were meant to be cynical, and Naruto felt the familiar phrase 'no shit' approach his own lips. He paused for a moment though, and glared at the raven-haired driver.

"If that's the case why are you engaged to her?"

Sasuke answered shortly, as if Naruto were asking an obvious question. "The same reason all corporate owners are either engaged to women or aremarried to them."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in frustration, not knowing the answer that Sasuke seemed to have implied. The Uchiha continued.

"There aren't many women in this era, Naruto, and unfortunately, science hasn't found a way for men to have babies. If you can afford it, you can marry a woman to continue your familyname."

Naruto took in the thought with a certain complexity and a thought suddenly hit him. He felt anger well up in him as an image came into his mind.

"You mean you…and Sakura…" He couldn't finish. Sasuke almost laughed though, which surprised him.

"All this time you've known that we were engaged. Don't act so surprised."

Naruto seethed. "You jackass. You just said that you were gay."

Sasuke growled. "All that means is that I'll never love her. It has nothing to do with the physical." And although it was the truth, it was the wrong thing to say. Naruto cast him an enviable glare before clenching his fists and aimedfor the boy. Sasuke caught his punch midair.

"Calm down. That was a long time ago. And after that little show of hers, I'm surprised you still care."

Naruto felt his anger drain and he molded back into his seat, completely aware that what Sasuke was saying was the truth. She had practically threw him out and told him to let her continue with his research. It was weird to him, considering she had never been the brightest crayon in the box to begin with. Naruto hissed.

"What was she telling you in the hall?"

Sasuke was quiet as he made a turn off of the highway, his expression growing cold. He grunted.

"Asking about how I met you and where you came from. She told me not to tell anyone about you. It's all a game of smiles and nods with her."

Naruto seemed somewhat relieved, and he tilted his head back against the headrest of the seat. No matter how much he wanted to distrust Sasuke, he couldn't. It was strange.

"Who is Kiba?" Sasuke asked, his voice rare with inquisition. Naruto let his lips mold an explanation.

"He was my best friend."

"Hn." Sasuke replied, and the car drifted downwards towards the familiar glass plating of he and Sasuke's place of employment. Naruto waited for the car to land before he spoke again.

"I'm really angry," he said, and Sasuke looked a little surprised at the blonde's lack of subtlety, "And above that, I'm really confused. Everything about me being here is suspicious."

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "That's why you need to stay with either me or Shikamaru."

Naruto let his attention drift over the parking lot, and asked another question. "You sure I can't be with Neji?"

A stale look passed the Uchiha's face and Naruto debated on whether or not it was jealousy. "Why?"

Naruto shrugged. "Because he's heading this way."

He watched as Sasuke found his track of vision and spotted the lucid boy stalking calmly to their vehicle. His expression was bored and he ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to untangle a knot the wind had set into place.

"Morning, Hyuuga." Sasuke noted, and the other boy shook his finger.

"More like afternoon, Uchiha. Mind if I steal Naruto from you today? I've got an assignment for him. Oh, and one that doesn't involve 17-hour shifts and no food."

Naruto had nearly forgotten about his work incident, but was surprised at how angry Neji appeared to still be. He saw Sasuke bristle under the jeweled gaze and they both exited the car. Sasuke shook his hand dismissively, even though Naruto could tell it was more subjective than anything else. Onyx eyes met his and narrowed.

"I'll expect you here tomorrow, normal office hours," He added, making an effort to glance at the arrival. Naruto nodded and closed his door, feeling slightly anxious now that Sasuke had left his company. He turned to Neji though, and smiled somewhat sheepishly. No matter what, he couldn't let the Hyuuga know about him and his growing plethora of secrets.

"I'm sorry to have worried you the other day." He said. His voice sounded quiet.

Neji rolled his eyes. "Are you going to tell me what happened or is it strictly business?"

Naruto began to follow Neji to the outpost of the parking garage, and jogged ahead to walk side by side with the boy.

"No. I mean, we had a disagreement is all."

Neji turned onto the pavement and began to walk briskly down the street, to a place Naruto recognized to be a restaurant district. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Aren't we going back to your office?" He ventured.

Neji shook his head and smiled. "No. My intention was to save you from work today, not put you through the hassle of it."

Naruto wanted to hug his long**-**haired friend, but he bit back the urge. It had been a long day, and paperwork really hadn't sounded attractive. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and took a deep breath, burying his hands in his pockets. He let all of his worries fade momentarily and decided to just enjoy the outing. Neji seemed to notice his sudden release because he looked concerned.

"Look, Naruto. Don't let Sasuke make you overwork yourself. There's no reason for it. After all, he needs you, not the other way around."

Naruto nodded though inwardly, he thought 'if you only knew'. He followed Neji around a corner into a small soup shop, and was a little surprised when Neji picked up a carry-out bag from the counter and nodded towards the store owner. He walked back out and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"I got you food but I'm sending you on your way. I've got to finish up some research and you really look tired."

Naruto wasn't shocked when he remembered the mere five hours of sleep he had managed to obtain the night previous. He took the bag gratefully from his blue-eyed friend. Neji smiled, a heartwarming smile that made Naruto want to tell him the truth about everything. He bit his tongue though and allowed Neji to peg him a cab, fronting the money for it on the spot. When Naruto was settled, the boy tapped the top of the vehicle.

"Go home and get some sleep." He said and Naruto nodded. The taxi sped off and Naruto peeked inside of the brown bag. A sandwich, juice, and a small bowl of heated soup. He licked his lips and zoned out, waiting eagerly for the vehicle to arrive at his house.

"I got a text from Sasuke saying to meet you here," Shikamaru explained. He looked irritated and angry as he leaned on the brick exterior of Naruto's studio, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Uchiha seems to be really worried about you."

Naruto nodded and unlocked the door to his place, letting Shikamaru sift in before him. He locked the door behind them and set his food on the kitchen counter, not entirely sure where to start with Shikamaru.

"I saw Sakura today," he said and the look on Shikamaru's face turned from one of boredom into one of intensity. Naruto took a breath and explained the happenings of the day. When he was finished, Shikamaru was staring blankly, an obvious glint of contemplation etched in his eyes. Naruto pulled out his sandwich and put it on a plate before extracting his juice and wandering out to the living area where Shikamaru was seated. He sat down and ate quietly.

"It's all very strange to me," he said, "because nothing makes any sense."

Shikamaru looked somewhat irritated. "It all seems very suspicious."

Naruto nodded and glanced at his clock, noting that time was flying by. He drank some of his juice and crossed his legs on a stack of books.

"I think Sasuke thinks that someone's after me."

Shikamaru nodded. "It wouldn't be surprising. It's probably a good idea to stick with one of us."

Naruto nodded although he felt like a child. He wasn't used to following people around, or on the other hand, having people follow him around. He sighed and finished his sandwich.

"I think what was strangest is how she talked about Kiba…maybe, like he was the one who…" Naruto let his thoughts wander. He didn't want to believe such disturbing thoughts about his closest friend. It was strange and unyielding. Shikamaru seemed very thoughtful though, and even serious. It was enough to make Naruto feel anxious.

"I don't think Kiba would ever do that though."

Shikamaru was quiet for a moment before speaking, apparently choosing his words wisely.

"Naruto, I think there's something you should know."

Naruto peered up, a bad feeling brewing in his stomach. "Something else, huh?"

Shikamaru ran a hand through his ponytail and licked his lips.

"When the first cryogenic chamber was created…it was a mixture of intel. The leader of Fang and Sasuke's older brother."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Shikamaru nodded. "And above that, the president of Fang…his name was Kiba."

Naruto held his breath.

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A/N, as usual. 

Alright, Japan. Well, I actually have a mini layout of my trip on my author page if any of you guys were interested in reading it. And yes, Naruto stuff was nearly impossible to find. Everything was Bleach and One Piece...Good series, but not the one I'm addicted to::laughs::

I searched in Kyoto and also went to Akihabara (the anime nerd capital) and I found everything but. I found a shonen jump over there though and debated on buying it for the new Naruto chapter...but thought it would just be cruel and unusual punihsment considering I can't read kanji worth a damn. I did find some figurines in Kyoto though...little ones for about five bucks a piece. A Naru-chan as a kid, Neji in all of his awesome glory, Gaara looking cool and calm (as always), Sakura doing her ultimate-destruction-with-one-punch thing, and Kakashi using chidori. I wish I had gotten more...but I guess I'll just have to go back.

REAL NARUTO (SPOILERS):

Oh my Freakin' God. Are Sasuke and Naruto gonna meet up and fight Itachi together? Why's Itachi all alone? Did Sasuke KNOW and that's why he told the others to wait?

I can't take this madness!!

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Oh, and on a lighter note, please review! 


	20. Subaku Gaara

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of your reviews! And another thanks to Akaru-chan for making my work not such a mess.

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**Chapter 20: Subaku Gaara**

"Look, I just thought that you should know." Shikamaru's voice was low and deliberate, and he lowered his car with a meticulous precision into an open side-street space. Cool metal met rough gravel and Shikamaru shifted uneasily, his mouth parting as if to complete his earlier comment. "If I had known you were going to react this way, I may have decided to keep it a secret."

Naruto stepped out of the vehicle, nodding his head in response. His actions were slow and unfocused, buthis mind was stillwhirling from the newfound information. His lips were pursed in a serious contemplation and he couldn't find the energy to act like his normally bubbly self, despite the curious glare that he was receiving from Shikamaru. The Asian boy migrated to his side of the car with an untactful stagger, pulling Naruto to a familiar brick wall and away from the paths of straying night folk. He pressed him against the wall, fist gathering the collared hem of Naruto's tunic, eyes low and narrowed, searching for some sort of reaction in the blonde. Naruto only glared back impassively, and after a moment of Shikamaru's thoughtful eyes roaming his numbed figure, hespoke.

"So let me get this right," Naruto murmured. "Uchiha Industries didn't originally invent the capsule—Fang did. And the only known records for invention were provided by a man named Kiba."

Shikamaru nodded, still searching Naruto for some sort of reaction. The blonde was pale and above the apparent signs of discontent the boy was exhibiting, his brightsapphire blue eyes had dulled like the blunt end of a dulled blade..

Naruto could feel a nervous anxiety emanating from the taller boy, but couldn't find it in himself to pay mind simply because he didn't feel like himself. Althoughhe had always been bewildered in his situation, and at times **was **even scared of what his own future would hold, he had never felt completely hopeless.

Optimism was a personal trait he had always prided himself in, and for the past couple of months, he had been clinging to it as if it was the only thing capable of keeping him sane. As the words slipped from Shikamaru's mouth, his grip on that dependant loosened and the defense and hope he had worked so hard to build began to crumble walls and plans tumbling down in his mind.

Narutosteadied his vision with Shikamaru's and smiled, a fake smile that he knew the other boy would suspect, but also a visual hint that he was done talking about the new information. Shikamaru seemed to understand and Naruto breathed deeply when the boy released him and grabbed his hand.

"Come on. My shift is only four hours tonight. We can talk about it later." The words were meant to be comforting, but Naruto found no solace in them. He let the pony-tailed boy lead him down the familiar edges of Sover Street and into Bender's Tavern, where he easily slid through the crowds towards the gigantic rim of the personal bar. Shikamaru turned to him subjectively and knelt forward, whispering a rather loud comment into the blonde's ear.

"I'm upstairs tonight. If you have problems, call." He tapped his Icon suggestively, and eyed Naruto with an obvious concern, well aware that the numb and pained expression had returned to the younger boy's features. Naruto watched him enter the employee realm of the bar and whisper a long comment to a coworker, something Naruto assumed to be about him. He didn't watch the discussion long enough to decipher what it could be about as he shifted his gaze around the already**-**crowded lobby. It was crammed with an insane amount of male guests, mostly in large parties, loud with thirst and abnormally distracted from Naruto's normally appealing presence.

Naruto stood in the crowd, small and quiet, wondering how much more depressed four hours would make him. He turned to the bar side counter and sat on a stool, staring at his reflection in the shiny cherry oak slab beneath him, taking in the insensitive expression that had developed on his face and he rubbed his eyes. A loud voice from above him pulled his from his lapse in reverie, and his vision shot upward, meeting the gaze of the waiter Shikamaru had spoken with.

"Hey, kid, what do you want to drink? It's on the house." An obvious gift from Shikamaru and it wasone that he was prepared to take readily. He had never been a heavy drinker, but at the moment, he wanted to be as far away as humanly possible from the confusing scenarios plaguing his mind.

The thoughts crossing his mind were beginning to fall together, into a puzzle he wasn't ready to solve. He eyed the waiter and peeked atthe wall of liquor, scrunching his eyes in an attempt to decipher what any of them were. Unable to do so, he shrugged.

"Something hard." He said and the waiter nodded before disappearing behind an employee counter door. As someone nudged Naruto in the back he realized just how crowded the room had become, and he let his elbows slide across the counter, his head following them. As his chin met the cool surface of the table, he grimaced. He couldn't keep back the thoughts any longer.

He wanted to believe that Sakura and Kiba had come to rescue him. That somehow they knew what had happened to him in the past and that they had risked their lives to come and rescue him, and that in turn, they could all return to the past and continue their lives. Naruto would graduate from Colorado State and marry Sakura, and he and Kiba would start up their own business with the money earned from his thesis that they would all laugh about the crazy situation he was currently faced with. But it was apparent to him now that that particular future was not possible.

He couldn't turn back now.

Too much had happened. He had grown too used to the thick scent of men and the complex culture, and also the futuristic cityscapes that seemed to constantly surround him. Without realizing it he had adapted, and this life was becoming normal. For some reason, he was beginning to feel at home.

Maybe it was only the feeling of having no home to return to that made him so resolute, or maybe it was because he felt so abandoned by the people he trusted most. If you have no where to go, you stay where you're at, right?

A tall glass of a bubbling alcohol was placed before him, and Naruto didn't look up. He eyed the bubbles, watching as they floated like weightless capsules to the surface of the liquid, only to pop into the nothing-less void above. He breathed in that void, the heavy scent of hard liquor invading his nostrils, making his eyes water with irritation. He blinked.

There was no way it was a coincidence. Kiba was a rare enough name in his own time and he grit his teeth at the possibility of the Fang successor coincidently owning the same name. Especially since his meeting with Sakura, and her diluted words about his closest friend.

She had hinted that he had been somewhat guilty of his present situation, though Naruto couldn't disregard his suspicion of her, either. And even if they hadn't been responsible for his dilemma, they both apparently believed that he was dead. In a few short words, his friends had been pulled away from him, swiftly, and without effort.

Naruto picked up the glass and let his lips rest on the rim, slowly taking in the thick taste of the pungent brown drink. It burned his tongue and he tilted his head backwards, letting the fiery solution drizzle down his throat and send pulsing sensations towards the rear of his skull. In a few short sips he already felt the swell of tipsy, and he frowned. He usually wasn't affected so quickly.

He set the cup down, blinking, letting his thoughts wander back to him while the new sensation in his neck quelled. He felt his stomach bubble, and he cleared his throat. The drink felt like syrup against his tongue, and he lapped at it like a dog with peanut butter jammed in its mouth.

It felt as if a revelation was overcoming him, but one that he wasn't entirely ready for. There was little left for him to cling to on his friends' behalf, save the rumored trip to the past he had agreed to endure. His only hope for proving their innocence in the matter seemed to rest in that trip, a trip that seemed to be completely fictional. He sipped the warm liquid and hissed as the taste bit the roof of his mouth and he closed his eyes.

Why?

It was the only question that wouldn't leave his mind.

Why would they betray him? He had given them both everything he had.He had been a true friend, and a devoted fiancée…there was no reason for the conspiracy. Unless it had to do with the money, just as Shikamaru had predicted. Kiba had wanted it, and Sakura had even seemed disturbingly content. And the way they had acted together…Memories flooded his mind of the day he told them about he and Sarutobi's plans. Kiba had been touching her, lightly, but suspiciously. Sakura didn't mind. Kiba had laughed with her—was it normal for him to sound so pleased with her jokes? Naruto couldn't remember. They were both above him when he collapsed—and now, they were both in the future. One wasconfirmed and the other practically verified.

And on top of that, Fang had profited off of what he was sure was his thesis.

He picked up the drink, his anger brimming, and gulped down the remaining provision. He made eye contact with the waiter who was watching him closely and he felt his thinking blur.

A watchdog?

Shikamaru had planted the waiter to watch over him. It was obvious. The man glanced over to him after every couple of minutes, his eyes calculating, and relieved when his eyes locked with Naruto's blue. Naruto watched him closely, taking in his movements in an alcohol**-**induced stupor. He could feel a foreign energy coursing his veins, and he turned sluggishly to examine the room. It was a blur. He could make out the front door, but the rest of the room was a complete haze. He turned back to the waiter, who was turned to the side, mixing a drink for a loud customer. Naruto's eyes narrowed, at least as much as they were able to and he licked his lips.

Leave.

He didn't know why his mind was demanding it, but before he could think his legs were moving and he was peeling through the crowd, making a quick path towards the front door. Hs tumbled through pairs of men, blinking frequently to focus the wobbly earth around him, laughing when his hand couldn't quite catch the doorknob on departure. Cool metal met warm fingers and he tugged, releasing himself into the night air. He breathed.

It felt liberating in his intoxicated mind, and he pushed himself through the crowd and against a wall, sure that the man would maintain a search for him. Sure enough, a few moments after he had shrugged himself in between two other bystanders, the waiter rushed outside, his vision tearing apart the streets. Naruto laughed, the sound revealing itself to be childish. He had always loved pranks.

But this prank was different from childhood ones, at least in his mind. He had no more control of his life. In the course of one day, he had lost everything that made him Naruto Uzumaki. He needed something—something that he was in control of, even if it was him hiding up against a wall from a babysitter. Naruto felt his vision black momentarily and he laughed harder, surprised that the liquor was having such an extreme reaction on him. His brain was burning with an unfamiliar energy and he felt uncoordinated and vacant. He watched the waiter, and felt giddy when the man's eyes found his. He turned, the game of cat and mouse in motion.

He shoved himself through the crowds, not quite sure as to where he was or where he was going. It was just a game and he was sure he'd be caught, but for some reason it was also incredibly funny. He pushed through, looking over his shoulder to see how close the man was—he was coming closer. Naruto skipped ahead, weaving in between men, and anxiety to win the race overwhelming him. He turned to the side and turned a corner, a realization hitting him.

Run away.

If he ran away, all of the problems would disappear. He didn't have to go back to Shikamaru and face the truth of Kiba and Sakura. He could just keep going….further and further—to the horizon of Sover Street that seemed to disappear behind a distant highway. That sounded nice. He was tired of worrying. He was tired of worrying. He just wanted to go…_home_. Wherever it was.

He twisted forward, tripping over someone's feet and fellagainst a brick wall. He turned back, his eyes falling callously on the waiter who appeared to have lost him for the moment. His heartbeat rushed and he felt anxious.

Suddenly, he had to get away. He wanted to get away—he needed to. As if escaping from this waiter meant escaping his problems in whole, he darted further ahead, pushing through the crowd with a nervous enthusiasm. He was breathing hard and his mind wasn't focused. He fell to the side and was shoved near an alleyway and he looked back, his eyes catching the tall dark figure searching for him. The blonde turned quickly, searching for a place to go. He was drunk, and he couldn't think straight. He huffed.

A strong arm pulled him forward, and with a sharp intake of breath, he found himself against the wall of a pub. His back stung at the impact and he squinted his eyes, trying to make out the figure that was in front of him.

"Running away from someone?" The voice was dark and low, and Naruto nodded.

"But where…to go…" He managed, his mind suddenly incapable to forming sentences. The figure leaned forward and slipped a hand behind Naruto's neck, pulling the hood that lay flat against Naruto's upper back.

"With this blonde hair, you're sure to be seen." It was a statement, and the hood fell lightly over the blonde's head, brushing against the smooth skin of his forehead. He felt the figure lean in closer, pressing him against the wall. He didn't feel like complaining, because at the moment, the person seemed to be helping him. He peered up, trying to decipher the person's appearance. It was a boy…and he had pretty eyes. That's all he could gather. The boy leaned down, his cool fingers brushing Naruto's arms with a vapid intensity.

"And those blue eyes. You'd better close them." Naruto complied, something building in him. He heard the stumbling of feet as the waiter grew closer, and felt the boy close their distance, hiding him from the passing waiter. He could feel the boy's breath on his and tilted his head upward, breathing in the heavy scent of peppermint that flooded his senses. When the shuffling noises of the searching man faded, he opened his mouth to thank the stranger, and his eyes widened and the stranger's lips drifted downwards, brushing across his, licking his lower lip with a raw playfulness. Naruto leaned backwards, his mind and body not quite working in sync to comprehend the situation. He felt the boy take the intimacy a step further and silence the complaints that fell in murmurs from his lips, sucking on the lower base with a drawn-out integrity. Naruto stifled a moan, the sensations he was feeling building in his abdomen like a heated desire.

"S…S-Sasuke," He managed, but the figure only pulled back lightly, running a hand under his hood.

"Sasuke isn't here. If you want to get away, you'll have to do it yourself." The words were harsh, and Naruto seemed to vaguely retrieve his senses, pulling his palms up to increase the distance between him and the stranger who seemed to be offended by Naruto calling him by the other boy's name.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto said, focusing on his sobriety.

The figure stepped back and smiled, a disturbing smile that made Naruto go weak.

"Subaku Gaara. I'll apologize now, Uzumaki Naruto, because tonight will be painful."

Naruto attempted to step back, the anxiety he should have felt earlier finally crashing down onto him.

"Y-You—you're the one from the alley…"

The figure spoke, and Naruto took in his liquid green eyes with a fear that erased any ounce of alcohol he had left clouding his thoughts.

"I'm going to kill you," hisbreathing became belabored and Naruto felt fear engulf him. "After all, I was hired to make you disappear."

Naruto saw Subaku's fist rise, and his adrenaline finally kicked into action.

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A/N--> Yeah, these chapters do seem kind of short. Don't worry, starting with 28 they'll be longer. 

Reviews happily welcomed.

No note today, late for work.


	21. Rescue

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** So many yummy reviews. Thank you for feeding my ego's appetite.

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**Chapter 21: Rescue**

Naruto clawed through the crowd like a savage animal, tearing through the intoxicated masses with an adrenaline-induced strength that he had never thought himself capable of. His hands gripped at clothing and his feet stumbled through the tactless crowds as he forced himself away, desperate to escape the figure he knew was only a few feet behind him. His breathing was harsh and his lungs burned, and even though his mind had sobered through the actions, his body behaved as if he had never before had control over it.

He tripped over someone's foot and jogged forward in an attempt to catch himself, the thick feeling of rushed breathing making it hard for him to focus. He gasped as he felt a tug on the rear of his shirt and reached out, hoping that someone would recognize the desperate situation that he was in.

No one noticed.

The crowds were clustered and deafening, laughter ringing through them as if nothing could ruin the late night activities that were taking place. Beer spilled over Naruto's chest as a tall man laughed heartily, and Naruto grimaced as he felt himself being tugged backwards into a familiar darkness. An alley. A dark, secluded alleyway. The bustle of the street crowds was dimming in his ears and the full and powerful timpani beat of his heart was replacing it, drumming through his veins like a nervous plunger.

He twisted to view his assailant, only to hear a raucous crunch.

Pain seared through his cheek and he grunted as a swell of blood drizzled across his lips, and he fell backwards, slamming into the ground with a painful thud. His head hit the grated floor with a bone-splitting crack and his vision began to flash out of focus. His head pounded residually and he attempted to pull himself upward to defend his injured form. The black figure lurched his way but before he could pull his arms from the ground a firm hand took hold of his neck, pulling him up with a grinding force against a brick slated wall. Naruto hissed as the stone bit into the bare skin of his shoulders and coughed as the hold tightened, causing an uncomfortable pressure to form over the small of his slender neck. Blood spilled over his chin and onto Subaku's coarse palm and before Naruto could focus on the figure, their bodies were crushed togetherand the redhead was breathing hard against Naruto's bruised face.

"Don't struggle." The comment was simple and said in monotone; an emotionless timbre that made Naruto shiver. He struggled against the strong grip and pushed forward, crying out as Gaara brought his fingers in tighter around the sensitive part of his neck. He coughed as the lean figure brought a fist into his stomach and felt his consciousness begin to fade. He blinked, taking in the scene, a string of blood creeping downward from his matted hair which now rested flat against his forehead, soaked in perspiration.

Subaku was small. He was wiry and lean, his muscles flexing only where obvious strain could be seen, and his face was as passive as the smooth cold edge of an aged stone. Bright green eyes that glowed even in the dimly lit alleyway were blanketed under smoldering lashes, long black vines that Naruto thought looked like makeup. He blinked, his eyes stinging as a run of dark red liquid spilled into his vision and he pursed his lips as the boy knelt in closer so that their lips were only an inch apart. Naruto gasped as the boy lifted his form from the ground, his feet dangling like ornaments above the rough concrete, pulling him to match the redhead's height. Naruto felt his breathing slow, gasps becoming difficult to construct under the pressure of the man's firm grip. He let his eyes slide open, blurry vision invading his retina and felt the redhead slide a tongue across a bloody gash in his lip, drawing an uncomfortable stress in Naruto. His lip stung and his head was pounding, sending black figments through his vision like the flashing of a digital camera. He couldn't feel his neck and his stomach had curled into some sort of awful bruise, and with the last of his energy he shoved the boy backwards, not entirely conscientious about the compromising position he was in.

The force of his shove sent Gaara stumbling backwards, the stern clutch on Naruto's neck loosening and instead struggling for some sort of balance. The redhead crashed backwards, landing roughly onto the ground and Naruto, caught in an intense coughing fit in the release of the pressure fell rigid over the assassin's form, wiping loose trials of blood from his face.

In a quick realization that he had gained the upper hand, Naruto pulled a fist back and slammed it forward desperately, his tensed hand coming into harsh contact with Subaku's face. His fist stung in pain and Naruto grimaced as the other boy merely glared at him, even though the collision was causing a blue welt and trickle of blood to descend over his smooth features. Naruto scrambled to the side, his hands clawing desperately at the ground, climbing and crawling towards the light of activity that seemed nearly inches away.

A firm hand grabbed his ankle and he collapsed onto his stomach, a rush of air leaving him too soon for comfort. He breathed hard, his stomach squirming in discomfort and he felt himself being flipped over onto his back, the other boy effectively straddling him with a sharp object pealing at the sore spot in his neck

"Only one person has ever made me bleed before." The figure said, his expression dangerous. The knife sunk in lower and Naruto cried out, squirming under the friction.

"P-please…I…just, please…" Naruto's words were rambles and he couldn't think straight. It was becoming harder for him to keep his eyes open, the demanding prowess of unconsciousness clouding his mind. His tongue was thick with the taste of blood and Naruto wondered if he had bit his tongue in the ordeal.

"I-I need to…g-get…h-home…" Naruto's head fell back against the concrete pavement and he felt the pressure against him decrease. Interesting, he thought.

There was a slight pause, and Naruto was sure he saw the butterfly knife rise above him—but in an instant flash, the weight on top of him was removed. There was a groan and Naruto could only let his head fall to the side to see what was happening. His body was numb and he felt immobile, his eyes barely able to stay open and alert.

Someone had knocked Gaara off of him, and whoever it was, they were struggling on the ground beside him, the newer figure holding the advantage in the bloody combat. He was above Subaku, punching downwards and Gaara was effectively dodging each blow. The redhead pushed upwards, sending the lean figure above him across the alleyway—but the figure, a younger boy, landed perfectly on the platforms of his feet, landing in a stance that demanded hand-to-hand combat.

Gaara stood slowly and Naruto rolled to the side, immediately regretting it when a coughing fit overwhelmed his figure. His throat felt choked and his stomach clenched tightly within him and he felt tears roll from his eyes.

Naruto clambered to his feet, pulling himself towards the shining light of the alleyway, a thousand words of prayer beating through his head. He was nearly there. He needed to find Shikamaru—and above that, for some reason, he wanted Sasuke.

He was nearly feet away when his head pulsed and he fell flat against the ground, his breathing belabored.

_I can't die here_, he thought desperately as his eyes closed in submission.

* * *

"He's waking up." An unfamiliar voice. A concerned voice. 

Naruto attempted to roll onto his side, but unyielding hands pushed him back into place. He groaned and felt his throat constrict, a painful bout of coughs overwhelming his system and he felt steady arms pull him forward into a sitting position. Naruto doubled over and let the last of his coughing fit leave his system, frowning as a deafening thud seemed to pulse in his head. He pulled his hands to meet the base of his skull, eyes prodding open as he realized that a huge bump extruded from the rear and hissing at the stinging contact. His eyes felt crusty and he rubbed them with his free hand, anxious to see where he was.

"Here, drink water." The cool rim of a glass mug met Naruto's chapped lips, and he felt the cool liquid alleviate the sore tingle in his throat. He pushed forward into the glass, gulping down the water with an acute sense of urgency, moaning in disappointment when the mug was pulled away. He peered up to the person who seemed to be taking care of him, and his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

"Is that better?" The voice was smoother than before, and didn't fit the face that Naruto bore witness to. Stark black locks framed a bowl-shaped face, with gentle features that seemed to support a rather wide-eyed gaze, whether natural or born out of curiosity Naruto didn't know. But the figure's eyes were large and intent, searching him with a motherly sort of concern, all while supporting him into his current position. Naruto cleared his throat and shook his head, causing a bout of blackness to swarm his vision.

"Ugh…my head hurts," he managed, and the boy pulled him forward a little further, into a position that allowed Naruto to support himself. The blonde crouched forward, head over thighs, taking in the full extent of his injury. His head was pounding and his throat felt like someone had fed him sandpaper, and as he contorted forward, a painful soreness seemed to tighten within his stomach. He hugged it tightly, a short feeling of nausea tugging at his throat and he groaned. A moment later, strong hands returned and he was propped up again, smooth fingers pushing pills into his mouth.

Naruto felt the cool rim of the drinking glass brush his lips and eagerly swallowed the cooling remedy, amazed at how soon the pain declined. He leaned backwards and the boy let him fall back into a resting position and Naruto took a few deep breaths.

"Who are you?" He said, his voice coming out in an hoarse wheeze. The boy leaned forward and smiled an unusually optimistic smile, one that made Naruto wonder if the boy was on medications himself. A moment did not pass before the boy answered.

"I'm Rock Lee, and I saved your life!" He seemed extremely proud of himself he gestured his thumb in a positive manner, giving Naruto a thumbs up. Naruto raised an eyebrow and felt a laugh escape his lips, the comic relief welcomed to ease his uncomfortable situation. He cleared his throat.

"What…who was the guy that attacked me?"

The boy sat back into a chair beside the bed that Naruto was on and drew a finger to his chin in contemplation. The bowl-haired boy then crossed his legs, shaking his head at the same time.

"I couldn't tell you specifics, but he was definitely sent from the Fang Corporation. His fighting style, or lack thereof, was a dead giveaway."

Naruto rolled his eyes in irritation. It figured that the one minute he left Sasuke and Shikamaru's protection he would get badly injured by the suspicious company. His eyes suddenly opened wide in realization.

"How long have I been here?" He didn't know where here was, but he could tell that he wasn't in the city. Bright light came in through a vacant window, surrounded by what seemed to be brick adobe walls, and he could smell hydrangea bushes and various flowers from outside. Odd noises sounded as well, and Naruto vaguely wondered if he was on a farm.

"Well, a little over a day. I'm actually surprised at how fast you've healed…normally a concussion of this magnitude would've sent you into a coma."

Naruto winced. That meant he had been missing for nearly a day, and with Sasuke and Shikamaru's hasty behavior, he wasn't sure what they would do. He felt a throb of self-anger clench his heart when he took in all of the events of the previous evening.

"They're going to think I ran away." He stated, recalling that he _had_ run away, and the bartender had seen his act clearly enough to judge it as it was. He clenched his eyes closed and cursed. "Damnit. This is why I don't drink." I always do something stupid, he finished inwardly, clenching the blanket haphazardly crumpled on top of him.

"I would recommend that you call someone, but your Icon got broken pretty badly. Aside from that, we don't get any signals out here."

Naruto opened his eyes and narrowed them at the boy, his lips drawing downward inquisitively. "Where is 'out here'?"

Rock Lee grinned again, his pearly whites making Naruto nervous.

"Nivae 32, the best eco-village in existence!" He seemed to emphasize the word best, and Naruto shook his head and eyed the blanket which had become scratchy against his bare skin. "Let me guess, this is hemp?"

The boy smiled brightly and nodded quickly. "Are you an enviro-fre?"

"A what?" Naruto felt confused.

"Oh, I guess not. It's shorthand for Friend of the Environment. It's a big organization out here—no science, no nothing, everything environment safe."

Naruto sighed deeply. Given, he had gone to a fairly liberal college, but he wasn't sure what the realms of an eco-village were, especially in the future. He closed his eyes and let his mind settle. He was tired, and he felt like taking a nap.

"Hey, hey! No sleeping. Concussion, remember?" Naruto's eyes flew open as the boy clapped his hands. "I'm keeping you with the living, buddy!"

An annoyance crept through Naruto and he felt his stomach groan. It must have made a sound, too, because Rock Lee's eyes shimmered and he bolted out of the door ofthe tiny earth-swollen room. Naruto eyed it wearily, sleep pulling at his senses. He felt as if he was in a living play-dough structure, and it smelled like damp dirt.

He pushed the blanket off of his stomach as he began to grow hot and ran his fingers across the length of his belly, feeling abnormal ripples that weren't normally there. He peered down and bit his lip in aggravation. Cut marks. From a knife?

_That's strange_, Naruto ventured. _I thought he only cut my throat._

He knelt forward to further examine the damage, and his eyes widened in irritation. A tattoo. A big tattoo. Arcs of foreign ramblings formed around his belly button, and he ran a finger across the mysterious etchings. He frowned.

A clutter of sound invaded his ears and he turned towards the door, surprised when Lee burst through carrying a platter of fruits and vegetables, and steamed rice. He nearly dropped it on the end of the bed, grinning wildly as he chucked Naruto an eating utensil and a plate. Naruto glared at the boy and spoke darkly.

"Why do I have a tattoo?" His voice was clearly disturbed.

Lee peered up from a bout of shoveling rice onto his plate before glancing at the said marking on Naruto's stomach, and then he nodded passively, his face glowing with energy.

"Ah, that's a prayer mark. Gai and I weren't quite sure you'd make it, so we made sure to get as much help as possible from mother earth!"

Naruto fumbled through his comment like a drunk man, trying to make sense of it. He felt his anger blossoming.

"You thought I was going to die so you drew on me?" The sarcasm was evident.

Lee laughed, oblivious to the blonde's fury.

"No, no. They're symbols of good health. And they worked, too—look at you. You should have died, but here you are, less than a day later, fine and well." There was a slight pause before he added. "Ah, the power of youth!"

Naruto shook his head, his mind trying to absorb the situation. He ran a finger over the markings, frustrated when they didn't wipe off. "Don't tattoos take hours to create?"

Lee finished with his portions of the steamed meal and nudged the tray towards Naruto. He shook his head and shoveled a piece of broccoli into his mouth.

"Um, not really. This one's an ink henna…Gai's an artist, my friend. He can do anything to anyone, anywhere, and in record time." The comment sounded strangely perverse, and Naruto ignored it. He simply grimaced and sighed.

"It's karma. It's always fucking karma." He pulled his shirt down over his abdomen, absently coming to terms with the canvas his skin had becomeas he ate vegetables and rice onhis tray. There were a few rolls buried in the batch and he grabbed one, breaking it open and taking in the fresh bread scent. He took a small bite, chewing cautiously and as he swallowed he let out a choked cough. His throat felt like it was closed.

"He almost crushed your trachea. Drink it down with water," Lee handed him a full glass of pure and clear liquid. Naruto heeded the advice and his tongue cried out for the delicious taste to repeat. In theory, the enviro-fre's were nuts, but on a lighter side, their food was brilliant.

He choked down another bite, and tilted his head upward, eyeing the bug-eyed boy.

"So…When can I get back to Sover? I have a friend, well a couple…and they're probably worried sick. They can pay you for your help, I think…"

He let his voice wander. The bowl-haired boy raised a bushy eyebrow and coughed.

"What? Not anytime soon. You've got a concussion, lacerations, a couple broken ribs…not to mention you can barely speak without your throat acting up." Naruto hadn't thought the other boy had noticed.

"You don't understand—I have to get back." Naruto knew that he sounded desperate and Lee narrowed his eyes.

"Well, let's make a deal. You tell me why Fang is out for you and I'll make the two-hour trip to inform your friends that you're alive and well. Deal?"

Naruto felt like a weight had been dropped on him. He weighed the options carefully, chewing absently on a carrot. On one hand, he could wait it out and escape…but with a two-hour trip, he was positive that he couldn't make it. On the other hand, if he told Lee, even more problems could ensue. But for the blonde, only two things at the moment seemed to matter.

One, Lee had fought against Subaku, meaning he wasn't an ally to Fang. And two, he had to inform Sasuke that he was alive and well before any drastic measures were taken, though of what nature he couldn't be sure. He leaned forward and swallowed, cringing at the tight feeling.

"Alright. But you're not going to believe me."

Lee looked intrigued and Naruto began his story.

* * *

**A/N-->** I'm sorry--I know all of my chapters are cliffies. It's like a habit...but I promise that it's a habit that is being alleviated. Starting with chapter 28 my chapters are about 3-4 pages longer and don't end as abruptly...so hopefully we can all make it until then. 

On another note, I was so depressed that there wasn't a new chapter os Naruto this week. Another week to stew...hmmm. Oh, and even though I don't respond to all of your ideas for what could happen in the manga, I definitely take them in. I'm just trying to be considerate to those who haven't had the opportunity to discover the wonderful world of fan-subbing.

Hey, I do have a question though. I've heard that **Kyou Kara Maou** is a funny one and worth checking out. Comments? And also, where would I find it?

Thanks for the team effort! Hurrah.

Off to work (again) I go.


	22. Rock Lee, Friend or Foe

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Sorry I'm late, kiddos. I was busy all day! I died my hair brunette (tired of blonde) and had to work ungodly hours...you know the drill. Hey, I'm going to be starting up a deviantart account this weekend for my college stuff...if you want to srop by and comment it would be great! Check my profile page on Sunday if you're interested...I should have a link up.

Thank you for the reviews, yet again. Next week I'll give a shout out to all of my regular reviewers (you guys are great) so keep an eye out. I'll chat a bit more at the bottom, as usual.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Rock Lee, Friend Or Foe**

"You're kidding, right?" Lee looked shocked, and Naruto wasn't surprised. His story had almost become a normality and he felt a little guilty that he was sharing his secret with another person. And this time, it was a complete stranger. Narutonodded and shrugged, not entirely sure what else to say to the questionable boy.

"I know it sounds kooky—"

"I never thought that I'd meet another one."

"—but it's the truth, I—What?"

Lee straightened on his chair and narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms in the process. He seemed to be concentrating and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What did you say?"

"You're not the first traveler that I've met."

Naruto tilted his head towards the boy and shook his head. "How can you even be sure that I'm telling you the truth?"

The boy knelt forward and raised an eyebrow, a playful smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "No offense, but with your hair and eyes, I'd probably believe you if you said you were from a different planet."

Naruto nodded, realizing that somehow the comment seemed to make sense. He was getting used to the attention he received from his bright blonde hair and icy blue eyes and he slowly took in the lean boy's comments. He shook his head.

"Who else?" Naruto asked, his tone low and egregious. Lee laughed and smiled, peering atthe ceiling as if caught in a reverie. When words left his mouth they were strangely dilute for his bubbly nature.

"Nearly two years ago I rescued someone else. Maybe you've heard of her?"

Naruto had only disclosed his being from the past to the bowl-haired boy, and nothing further on his relationship with Neji or Sasuke regarding cryogenics. As far as Lee knew, it was a fluke that Fang was interested in him and more of a coincidence that Subaku had attacked him so aggressively. Naruto clenched his fist and pursed his lips.

"Who was she?" he demanded, and he could tell that Lee had interpreted his anger correctly. The boy let the name slip as if it were an ordinary name, no strings attached.

"Sakura. Sakura Haruno."

Naruto clenched the blanket at his sides and grit his teeth, closing his eyes in an effort to control the anxious excitement that seemed to be overwhelming him. He was angry, merely because he couldn't escape her, and motivated because the answer to why she existed in the future as wellseemed to be right in front of him. He knelt forward, his eyes pleading.

"Please Lee. Please tell me everything you know about her."

The bug-eyed boy looked surprised at Naruto's earnest request and his lips twitched with an uncanny deliberation. The blonde could tell that he was contemplating his request and was somewhat relieved when the boy grinned, an expression that was becoming trademark.

"So you do know her," he said and Naruto felt a slight pull of irritation.

"I was her fiancée," Naruto explained and he looked away in order to pull together his thoughts. "A lot of strange things have happened…and I need to know why."

Rock Lee fell back against his chair, slouched in a lethargic position. He clicked his tongue and sighed. "Well, that explains some things."

Naruto eyed him and the bowl-haired boy responded, interpreting Naruto's irritation correctly. "She refused to marry me. I asked _twice_! It figures that she was engaged, though she never did say it out loud."

Naruto felt an amused smile twitch at his lips when he imagined Rock Lee proposing to Sakura, who would beoutright indignant. She had always been somewhat of the material sort, and as Naruto eyed the adobe shack, he had no qualms about why she had refused.

"I read somewhere that she was birthed in Osington." Naruto said in an attempt to pull the conversation back on track. Lee looked on knowingly, nodding his head.

"I don't know all of the details, but that's where she was found. There was a big controversy, but one of the head scientists brought her here to stay. You may have heard of him—Jiraiya?"

Naruto was a little intimidated that he had so far recognized all of the names. He nodded towards Lee, and spoke quickly.

"I've met him."

Lee's eyes grew larger in an anomaly Naruto hadn't thought possible. The boy leaned forward and raised a careful eyebrow, grinning wildly.

"You must be special if he came out for you," the boy looked him in the eye. "He barely came out to see her while she stayed here."

Naruto pushed himself backwards so that he could lean on the thatch headboard of the bed. His back was beginning to ache and his head was beginning to feel light on his shoulders. Lee removed the tray of food and dishes from the bed.

"Jiraiya brought her here for Gai and I to guard—he said it was important that she stay put and not have contact with anyone outside of the village. She was very distressed."

"Did she ever say why she was here?" Naruto asked.

Lee shrugged. "She felt guilty about something, though I'm not sure what. She said that she could make us rich if we let her leave, but we didn't, of course."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Make you rich, how?"

"I'm not sure. I guess it had something to do with cryogenics, because the minute Kakashi Hayate found out about her, the Uchiha Corporation busted her out of here and engaged her to Sasuke Uchiha, the president."

Naruto bit his lip. The thesis. He knew that was what she had. And if it was guilt that she had felt, he wished it had eaten her alive. He ran a hand through his matted hair and groaned.

"And what about Kiba?" He asked directly, his voice low and placid. When Rock Lee didn't answer, Naruto opened an eye to glance at the boy.

"Kiba, as in the leader of Fang, right? I never knew he was from the past. You won't find much on him though—he's a mystery to everyone."

Naruto sighed and closed his eyes, realizing that everyone was just as suspicious as he had originally thought. He slid downward until his head was resting on the pillow, an exhausted sensation overwhelming him.

"You know, I'm really tired." He couldn't think anymore. It was becoming more and more obvious that he had been betrayed and he silently wondered if it would be easier just to come to terms with the fact, rather than search for ways to complicate it further. A hand tugged at his shoulder.

"Hey," A hand shook him demandingly, and he groaned, "You never told me your name."

Naruto let the familiar title roll off his tongue. "Naruto Uzumaki. And can you please tell Sasuke that I am alright?"

From the corner of his eye Naruto saw the bug eyes widen to an extremity again and he stifled a laugh as he snuggled under the hemp blanket.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" Lee clarified and Naruto nodded. "Please, and as soon as possible."

Rock Lee nodded and pulled the blanket up to Naruto's chin.

"I'm waking you up every half hour, so no getting all grumpy, okay?"

Naruto nodded and turned on his side, letting the strain of sleep overpower his senses.

* * *

"_Goooooooooood _morning!" 

Naruto flew forward, his heart racing and his head pounding at the sudden rush of movement. He grabbed his temples in an attempt to calm the racing of his heart. Naruto peeled his head sideways towards the doorway, eyes wide and lips pursed. When his eyes met the singing figure, his eyebrows rose and he wondered if he had been given any hallucinogens.

It was a man who looked nearly identical to Rock Lee, only taller, bulkier, and frighteningly more tanned. The hair-cut was suspiciously similar to the black bowl-haired boy, and the only apparent differences were the slightly more narrowed eyes and a horrendous green jumpsuit that was currently splashed in mud. The man himself was clutching a weed and holding a shovel as if it were a knife in his alternate hand. He was grinning madly and his teeth shimmered in the light.

"And _how_ is our beautiful little blonde?" The man sauntered forward, placing a dirty hand on Naruto's forehead in an attempt to gage his temperature. Naruto quickly brushed the calloused hand away.

"Who on Earth are you?" he questioned, wiping specs of dirt away from his brow. He was still tired, and now his head was pounding like a marching bass. He leaned away from the man, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I am Gai, and I am pleased to announce that you are doing surprisingly well!"

Gai turned to the doorway and shouted for the younger boy. Within moments, Lee appeared.

"Yes, sir?"

Gai's placed his hands on his hips and Naruto watched with a disturbed expression on his face. These people were too loud and far too happy to be sane.

"You didn't tell me that he was so cute!"

Lee raised his hand in a salute and resounded in the affirmative. "Yes, sir. He is definitely cute, sir!"

Naruto twisted to the side, attempting to hide the awkward expressions crossing his face. He searched the room for pill bottles or alcohol—there had to be a reason for their insidious energy. Seeing none and disappointed, he turned back to the duo.

"Uh, oh…have you contacted Sasuke yet?"

Lee nodded brightly. It was then that Naruto realized that he was clad in the same green jumpsuit as his superior, and that it was extremely formfitting. Naruto swallowed hard and bit back a bout of nervous laughter. The pair _was _completely insane.

"Yes. I sent Jeffrey with a message earlier!" Lee appeared satisfied.

"Jeffrey?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. The name didn't sound promising.

"He's the fastest thing you've ever seen. He can go miles without refueling—and he's got a natural sense of direction. He is, indeed, my most dependable carrier pigeon."

Naruto nearly leapt out of the bed, an irrational irritation seeping from him.

"You sent a bird? A _bird_?"

Lee seemed less than affected by Naruto's alarm and he only smiled brightly.

"Not just _any_ bird. He's a carrier pigeon. I trained him myself!" Lee looked extremely content and Naruto felt waves of worry crash over him.

"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think you understand the gravity of my situation."

Gai**'s **arm encircled his waist and Naruto peered back at the oily man, blinking as he spoke.

"If it involves an Uchiha, it is definitely serious. We wouldn't have sent Jeffrey otherwise. Trust us, Mr. Uzumaki, in our dependence of nature." The old man waggled his eyebrows and Naruto peeled himself away, laughing apprehensively. Gai began to strut to the door, waving the weed in his hand in triumph.

"Only 250 more weeds to pull," he stated, and Lee gave him a thumbs-up.

"Do your best!"

The older man left the room, leaving a very disgruntled Naruto against Lee for support. He had forgotten about his condition and after such a quick bout of movements, he was beginning to regret the strenuous activity. He sighed and lowered his head, a movement that Lee did seem to understand.

"You were really tired earlier, so I didn't want to say anything, but now that you're awake, I think you should organize your thoughts."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes.

"What does that mean?"

"Just what I said. It's obvious that you are confused, and even upset. I don't know all of what's going on, but I can tell it's not good."

"Brilliant deduction." Naruto strained.

Lee ignored his sarcasm and continued. "The first question you need to answer is, 'what do you want'?'"

Naruto shifted with the boy as he was led back to his bed and he fell onto it with a hiss. His stomach was beginning to ache again and he rubbed it, shaking his head. He honestly didn't know what he wanted anymore, and that was probably the point that the bowl-haired boy was trying to make. Lee smiled.

"I'm going to go prepare a bath for you. It will be a while before Sasuke gets here and hopefully you'll have some time to sort yourself out."

Naruto raised his head and nodded as Lee disappeared from the room. He fell back against the cushions with a hefty sigh.

What _did_ he want?

To find out what happened. Even though he was positive that there was nothing he could do to change his situation, he still wanted to know the truth. He needed to know.

Thoughts aboutSakura and Kiba weighed heavily on his mind and he was beginning to lose his passion for deciphering the puzzle. Everything pointed to the two closest people to him. The connection they had all experienced had been broken and a surge of frustration plagued his mind. He wanted to believe that they were innocent, but he knew that there was more to the situation than he had ever imagined.

If they had merely stolen his work and gone to the future to profit off of it, Sakura could have simply just told him so. But because she didn't…there was something more. She was hiding things. And the fact that Kiba was impossible to get a hold of made him seem the most suspicious. He was protected and guarded and was most likely using Sakura as a contact to Sasuke. It all made sense. And at the same time, it didn't.

But after he solved his own mystery, what did he want? There was no way he could return to the past—not after everything he had already experienced. He had become a part of the future that seemed to alienate him, and he had made friends—close friends. People who wanted to help and protect him. And the second thing that he wanted more than anything, was a home.

Shikamaru. Chouji. Both of them had risked their lives to help him. He owed them so much and he wanted them to teach him more about this new world. He had promised Chouji detailed information about his own time and he still owed him that.

And Sasuke. He had a past of his own that Naruto had promised to solve and he wasn't one to turn back on his words. He wanted to help the man, not only with his brother, but also with his business.

Lee slid in and tossed a towel at Naruto, motioning for the blonde to follow him. Naruto stood and was grateful for Lee's support, clinging to the boy as they wandered down an adobe hall to a small room with a grated bath. It was bucket**-**filled, no electricity, and a grate with coals and such bubbled beneath, warming the water.

Naruto shrugged away from the boy and smiled.

"Thank you," Naruto said.

Lee grinned. "No problem. You're injured, after all!"

Naruto shook his head. "No, just…thank you." For the first time in months, Naruto's head was clear.

* * *

A/N--> 

Wahoo. I have to admit guys, my fave lil original character is defintely Jeffrey the Pigeon. HA.

Okay, I noticed something kind of awkward after reviewing the last chapter's reviews. Something like 30 people added me to story alerts and another 10 added me to fave stories...and I only got about 20 reviews. It made me laugh. Readers are so fickle (myself included).

In other news, my roomie and I found a new apartment and move out on the 15th of Sept., so wish up luck. Hurrah!

On another-nother note, one of my HS friends went to Indonesia for a college expedition and brought me back a Naruto graphic novel from there. Volume 33, paperback, for $1.50 American money. Too bad I can't read whatever language they speak over there.

Sad times.


	23. Landslide Emotion

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Would you believe I almost forgot to update today? Ha. Sorry guys.

Um, to answer a few questions, I have 31 chapters written and yes, Jeffrey will be making a few other select appearances. 'Cause he's too cute.

Thanks to Akaru-chan and Jaxx...and now for chapter 23.

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**Chapter 23: Landslide Emotion**

Naruto had never been one for baths, but under the circumstances, he decided to sit and soak for a long period of time. The warm water felt good against his bruised stomach and he let the dirt and grime in his hair and on his legs gently separate from his body. He was appeased when the light hue of his skin began to filter through the water and he knelt back against the tub's exterior, drawing a sigh from his chapped lips and roving a free hand over his chest, wiping clean the tanned skin beneath.

Naruto closed his eyes and let a lethargic stroke of relaxation overcome him, and he breathed the heavily perfumed scent of the water through his nose and mouth. It was amazing what tranquility bathing could bring, and though he preferred showers, his body was extremely content with the change of pace.

He exhaled.

It was as close to heaven he had felt in a long while. It was quiet and calm, comfortable and relaxing, with the gentle snapping of the coals beneath him forming a gentle rhythm for his ears. He felt his eyes slowly begin to drift shut, the atmosphere welcomed and soothing.

A thump.

"I hope you're not pruning!"

Naruto's head spun to the door, the large welt on the base of his skull grinding against the wall of the adobe room, causing him to cry out in pain. Rock Lee burst in the door, his arms swarmed in what appeared to be various plants and bathing objects, and Naruto nearly choked.

"W-What are you doing in here!?"

He struggled to bury his body beneath the surplus of dirty water that enveloped him, a lost cause when Lee pulled the plug that inherently kept the water maintained. It began to seep away and Naruto felt an embarrassed blush attack his features. He searched the room hastily for a towel, and when he spotted one, he yanked it over his nude figure, slipping across the metal basin as he did so. He glared at the bowl-haired boy, only long enough to realize that he wasn't even paying attention.

"What was that for?" he demanded, tightening the towel around his waist. _This_, he thought inwardly, _is why I don't take baths._

Lee dropped the plethora of utensils he had been holding and grinned toothily.

"You can't bathe in dirty water, silly. Gai's bringing some more water to add!"

_Oh, no_.

Naruto stood up, ignoring the painful clenching of his stomach and carefully stepping over the metal rim of the bathtub. Lee peered up to him inquisitively, raising a very thick eyebrow in concern.

"What are you doing?"

Naruto bit back the first response that came to him, fighting the urge to inform the poor boy of how much his personal bubble felt invaded by the ongoing optimism, and settled for a more neutral response.

"Um, I think I'm done bathing." His vision focused on the door, and Lee let out a bout of laughter.

"Ha. We're not done yet!"

Naruto turned, wondering why the boy had used the term 'we', and was surprised when the boy poked his stomach, a painful action that made him fall backwards onto a sidelong chair. The blonde growled in annoyance, confused and slightly anxious. He didn't like this place…it was creepy.

Lee sprawled his tools on the floor before Naruto and drew up a pile of leaves into his hand, grinding them together into some sort of plant mush. He grinned while performing the act, and stretched forward, running a saturated hand across Naruto's stomach. The position was extremely compromising, and Naruto shivered at the boy's touch.

"Your bruises will heal better if you use natural Echinacea. You'll have to have some tea, too. It will make you feel better on the inside."

Naruto sat completely still as the boy rubbed the solution onto him and tried to ignore the fact that it was making his skin feel tingly. He swallowed hard as the black haired boy leaned forward from below him, using his thigh for leverage as he smeared a chunk of the concoction onto Naruto's neck, over what he was sure was a half-healed slash from Subaku's knife. Naruto hissed at the contact, his skin retaliating with stinging pains.

Lee leaned back and blinked before descending to his collection of healing items and Naruto wondered just how injured he was. In actuality, he was completely surprised that he wasn't in a hospital after what he had been through.

"Hey Lee," Naruto began, "Did you kill Subaku?"

There was a lengthened pause as Lee seemed to formulate some sort of gauze, and when he spoke, his voice was strangely low.

"No. I bought enough time for us to get out of there."

Naruto nodded, noting how that fact seemed to weigh on him. It made him nervous that the situation was likely to happen again and he licked his lips preemptively.

"Why were you there, anyway?" Naruto questioned, wondering why the boy had been so far from the eco village. Rock Lee laughed a little and began to wrap the bandage around Naruto's stomach.

"Jiraiya told me to go and scout for a few days. To look for a student—I do martial arts, you know. I just happened to see you running away from Gaara."

Naruto nodded and suddenly opened his eyes.

"You know him?"

Lee shrugged, pulling the bandage tight and receiving a painful protest from the blonde. He made a motion of apology and continued.

"I know of him, let's just say that."

Naruto leaned forward as Lee pulled the remaining strip around his torso, sealing it with some sort of Vaseline type goo that was seated in his lap. After a moment, he peered up to Naruto's neck and touched it roughly, pulling some of the concoction over it. Naruto complained when the contact stung, but Lee smiled.

"It hurts now, but it's like a sealant—it won't get infected this way."

He finished applying the odd lacquer and pushed himself backwards, admiring his handiwork. Naruto felt surprisingly more agile, and turned as Gai stepped into the room, a bucket of water under his arm. Lee glanced at Naruto and waved his hand at the older man in a form of polite dismissal.

"I think he's all set!" He stated, and Gai grinned approvingly before departing. Lee stood moments after, gathering up his assortment. He nudged a small wad of clothing to Naruto with his feet and began to saunter towards the door. There was a sound from outside and the bowl-haired boy seemed to perk.

"Hm. It seems like Sasuke's already here," he commented, and Naruto had to contain the nervous anxiety that flooded his veins. As Lee left he knelt down, pulling on the outfit that consisted of an older pair of jeans and a faded shirt, clothes that obviously didn't belong to either of the two homeowners. He felt his ribs grind as he lifted the shirt over his head and he bit back a raw surge of tears that threatened to invade his vision. He was a grown man, but damn, it hurt like hell.

He pulled himself up, neither psychically or mentally prepared for the encounter that was about to take place. Naruto sighed and used the wall for support, pulling himself out of the bathroom and down a hall, where all of the noise and activity was coming from. The first thing that caught his ear was a shrill cry from Lee, and as he limped into what appeared to be a condensed living area, he noted that the usually happy boy was huddling over a small clump in his hands, looking complete devastated.

"Jeffrey!" The boy's normally gigantic eyes had become even lager and were brimming with tears, his lips quivering as well. Naruto saw the bird stand chipperin his hands and wondered what the problem was.

"His leg—why is his leg bent?" Lee was examining the bird with a desperate enthusiasm, and Naruto turned to the person the question was aimed at. He felt his body stiffen.

"You're retarded animal rammed into my windshield, that's why."

Sasuke looked plumb irate, and Naruto could see a rage brewing in him that he wasn't comfortable with. The raven quickly diverted his attention from Lee as he realized that Naruto had entered the room. Naruto felt his mind go blank as Sasuke eyed him impassively, a cold aura building from his stoic figure.

Normally Narutowould have begunto talk, spilling excuse after excuse for what had happened, but at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to speak. He knew, somewhere, that the situation was almost entirely his fault and he didn't feel like playing the 'kid form the past' to mask his mistakes.

The malicious glare told Naruto that it was time to leave, and the blonde shuffled forward toward**s** Lee who looked like a worried mother. The black haired boy turned to him quickly and smiled lightly.

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Uzumaki. I wish you luck on your adventure."

Naruto nodded and he stepped backwards.

"Thank you for everything. I'll try to find some way to repay you."

Lee shrugged and motioned the duo away, his pigeon his main priority.

"I'll tell Gai you said goodbye. Drive safely!"

Naruto turned to leave and was surprised when Sasuke grabbed his wrist, yanking him towards the door. A terrible pain bit at the blonde's stomach and he yelped as he was pulled outside into the blinding light that was the sun. He shielded his eyes and heard the adobe door close behind him.

At once Sasuke's hand released his. The raven stalked ahead and as Naruto peered up, he could see that he was making his way towards the trademark black sedan. Naruto paused a moment and let a hand cradle his stomach, sure that he had pulled something with the sharp movement.

Above the ache in his stomach was the pain of guilt that settled in his mind, and he drifted forward cautiously, knowingly aware that Sasuke was at his wit's end.

Sasuke was already seated in the driver's seat when Naruto approached the car, and after a time fiddling with the handle, the blonde managed to climb into the passenger side seat.

He glanced up at the Uchiha, who said nothing. Wordlessly, Sasuke started the ignition, sending the car high into the air. They appeared to be on a desolate dirt road, and Sasuke's hasty driving didn't seem relevant. Naruto pulled a belt over his body and frowned as the car sped off, Sasuke still seated in an eerie silence.

Naruto twisted lower in an attempt to find a lever that would allow the seat to tilt backwards, the nausea of his motion sickness and the swelling of his ribs not merging into a pleasurable combination. He groaned as the seatbelt slid across a sensitive area on his stomach and turned his head to face the raven haired boy.

"Look, I'm sorr—"

"Don't."

Naruto felt angry. It was rare that he was willing to take responsibility for his actions, and now, after he had made such an effort to make sure that Sasuke knew he was alright, he didn't understand the silent treatment he had earned. Anger, yes. Yelling, perhaps. But silence?

"Don't what?" Naruto asked, his tone serious. Sasuke didn't answer. The car hit an upward gust of wind and the seatbelt pinched Naruto's stomach, causing him to hiss and tighten himself backwards against the seat. The vehicle was going fast—too fast. It was making Naruto's symptoms worse, and he was beginning to feel faint. He paused for another moment, collecting his thoughts. For a corporate mogul Naruto contemplated how childish the Uchiha could be.

"So how long do I get the silent treatment?" He jested. He hated uncomfortable silence. Above that, he hated being ignored. He opened his mouth to speak again.

"Anyway, you were right about people looking for me—"

"That's it."

The astro car slammed to a halt and Naruto coughed heavily as his stomach clenched in revolt against the belt, currently biting into his belly with severe trepidation. Naruto felt the car brush the ground in landing and heard a rush of dispersal as Sasuke exited the vehicle, stalking over to his side, and yanking open the passenger door. Naruto eyed him weakly, any energy he had once contained now completely fleeted. The raven glared down at him, and Naruto took in his disheveled appearance, from his loose black hair to wrinkled denim jeans, and silently wondered just how concerned the raven had been over his disappearance. As the onyx eyes narrowed, pale hands unattached the buckle, letting the thin strap slide back into place against the side panel of the car. Naruto welcomed the release, but wondered what the raven was after.

"Get out."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Don't make me repeat myself."

Naruto cradled his stomach which was screaming in pain. Even his head was beginning to pound, and he laughed with irritation.

"Right." He rolled his eyes, somehow too tired to contemplate the Uchiha's train of thought. He pulled himself to the side, attempting to ignore the burning sensation on his belly, and twisted himself so that his feet were both firmly planted on the ground, and his arms were braced against the door holds of the car for support. He pulled forward and an immense ache seared through his ribs, causing him to fall back with a whimper of discomfort. It was only moment before he felt a strong hand on his abdomen, pushing him backwards, causing him to lay flat on the long row of front seat. Naruto was suddenly thankful future cars didn't have middle consuls, and he took in the relief that the new position gave him. He gasped, however, when he felt the strong hand yanking his shirt upwards, and he struggled against the cold pressure.

"What are you—"

"Shut up."

Naruto couldn't help but obey, simply because Sasuke was leaning over him quite prodigiously, and with a very practiced force. A gentle pressure followed the curve of gauze that was wrapped around his torso, and Naruto blushed when the grip found the fastening of his jeans and he tried to bolt upwards.

"Excuse me—"

But Sasuke was too quick for him and forced him backwards, allowing a cool hand to brush the swell of stomach beneath where Lee had tightened the lowermost part of the bandage. He felt the button on his jeans pop open and his stomach seemed to settle with the lack of pressure. Sasuke's touch drifted downwards and Naruto shivered against the cooling sensation, breathing hard and slow. It felt soothing and comfortable, until Sasuke pushed against it.

"Fuck!" Naruto cried out, an intense sting pulsing through his entire body, and he found himself panting against it. His hands were gripping the seat to the side of him and he grimaced when Sasuke spoke.

"You've got internal injury." It was a simple statement, and Naruto didn't respond, still shaking through the spasm of pain Sasuke had unintentionally wrought onto him. The Uchiha's hands glided over his chest, pausing briefly over a bulge under the bandages, and then proceeding to move upward, towards Naruto's neck.

"Two broken ribs," Sasuke's touch was like cool liquid against his skin, and Naruto felt his eyes drift close. The raven's hand came to his neck, and when Naruto opened his eyes, Sasuke was hovering directly above him, balancing his figure with one hand to the blonde's left hand side. "And someone tried to slit your throat."

Sasuke's voice was calm and cold, but Naruto could sense a slight bit of sarcasm from his last addition. The blonde choked back a laugh and groaned.

"You're forgetting the concussion."

Naruto immediately wished that he hadn't mentioned it, because within moments he was pulled into a sitting position, the Uchiha running his icy hands deftly through Naruto's unruly blonde hair. When they chanced upon the gorge of extruded skin, Naruto heard him exhale deeply.

"Who did it?"

It was a simple question, and Naruto answered quickly. "A guy named Gaara Subaku."

Sasuke tensed against him and pulled back, a movement that ensured that he could make eye contact with the smaller boy. He glared intently, and Naruto felt his breathing become more stable, despite the fact Sasuke looked like he was going to kill him.

"You're such an idiot."

The comment was a lot lighter than Naruto had intended it to be, and he raised an eyebrow.

"That's it?" He had expected more of a lecture.

"What did you want me to do to you?" Though the words were full of flirtation, Sasuke was speaking in a very cold tone. Naruto felt the urge to remain quiet. He resisted it however.

"I'm sorry. I was an idiot." His voice was low and he felt very compromised, and feeling Sasuke's harsh breathing against his face made him redden. The raven's expression didn't change. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You're not going to kiss me, are you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pushed Naruto backwards, so that he was once again sprawled across both of the seats, and pulled the blonde's feet up onto the seat and inside of the vehicle. After a moment, he closed the door, and seconds later, the driver's seat door opened.

"How is this going to work? I'm in your seat." Naruto examined the situation. He was more comfortable lying down, and he was less likely to get sick. But in the same light, he took up nearly two thirds of the space in the front seat area.

Without directly answering Sasuke slid in, maneuvering Naruto's head to rest on his lap, before starting the engine and revving the car upward. Naruto felt a flush rise to his cheeks.

"Sasuke—"

"We'll talk about it later."

Naruto nodded, and ran a hand across his stomach. He had never been one for prayer, but he made a small one as the car flew home.

Sasuke was one person he couldn't lose, and he would try like hell to make the raven trust him again.

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**A/N-->** Hurray, I made 400 reviews! The most I've ever gotten, actually. Thank you all so much! I don't have time tonight to thank all of my faithful reviewers but I promise I will soon. 

And...I've started a new fic. I know, I know. But my priority is this one so don't worry. Like I said, I've already got 31 chapters down and only about 8 left to go! Hurrah!

REAL NARUTO (SPOILERS)

Omg. What did Itachi tell Naruto? Oh, and best line ever.

"I'm a better brother than you ever were."

Heck yes.

See you all Thurs.


	24. Everyone Has Secrets

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** YaY! Thanks for the inspiration, guys. It helped me get 32 out.

There will be some important info at the bottom so please read it. Gratzi!

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**Chapter 24: Everyone Has Secrets**

Sasuke Uchiha was not surprised when the blonde beneath him settled into a lightslumber, murmuring occasionally as the slim black sedan hit moderate bouts of turbulence. It would have been cute if the raven hadn't been aware of his extensive injuries, of which he was sure the gentle sounds were related. This realization made him roll his eyes dismissively and forced him to grip the steering gauge with an irritated intensity. It was rare that he felt so passionately about anything and he was slightly confused about why the blonde in his lap created such an inward tension for him. It was awkward. And above that, it was out of character.

Sasuke pulled the driving gauge to the right and tilted as the vehicle obeyed beneath him, feeling the pull of the anti-gravity belt hum through the car. He placed a hand on Naruto's chest to balance the action, knowing full well that he had taken the turn too fast. The blonde murmured again and clutched his stomach, an action that made Sasuke uncomfortable. He didn't trust the spiritual remedies of Gai and Lee, no matter how many times he had seen them himself, and he was well aware that his mind wouldn't be put to ease until Naruto saw a real doctor. And therein lay the problem.

"No medical card." He nearly whispered. Alternative options shifted through his mind like race cars, none too ripe for the win. Sure he was an Uchiha and it was well known that he did not struggle when money was involved, but the United Embassy had become extremely strict with healthcare provisioning and the select few that were able to override the identification system were people directly involved with the government, none of which he had familiar contact with. He was pushed for resources and a deep part of his consciencealso hinted that he was pushed for time.

Especially considering the circumstances. Especially with…

Subaku Gaara.

The name hit his nerves like a bullet train and he bit back a raw and impulsive growl that clawed at his throat. He knew the name and unlike a great deal of people, he also knew the face. It had been by complete accident that he had met the dark and sinister figure, and it had been by a sheer stroke of luck that he had managed to escape alive after his encounter. He had been younger at the time, nearly in his teens and there was little he remembered about the meeting. The encounter left no doubt in his mind that Subaku was a heartless killer, and as Naruto shifted positions beneath him, the raven felt a relieved sigh escape his lips.

If it hadn't been for Lee, Naruto would have died.

It was a simple fact, and one that he didn't need evidence for. The blonde was thin by nature, not by athletic strength, and though a few muscles may have improved his standings, Sasuke knew that it was luck that savedthe poor boy. Not many people met Subaku and lived tot ell the tale, and in Sasuke's opinion, the situation involving Naruto had gone too far. It had to of, if someone had sent the number one assassin in the industry to claim him.

But why was Naruto a target? And above that question, who was the culprit that deployed him? A restlessness bit at his senses.

It couldn't have been Sakura, Sasuke decided, because Kakashi tapped her every phone call and shadowed her every movement. Aside from that, she wasn't bright enough and didn't have the resources. She was exactly like Naruto, perhaps even less informed, despite living in the future world for nearly two years longer. Naruto had been out and about in the future world while she had been practically shoved away into the background of Uchiha Corp. His first impression of her had been money-grabbing, and even now he found it hard to believe that she was Naruto's fiancée. Even he could see the mismatch.

The car twisted to the left as he exited the highway and Sasuke pulled down to the lower road of Davenport, a double-decker street that crawled through the inner corporate district of the city. A few cars rushed to the swell of road above him and he bit back a curse as a red Jaguar cut him off. As if anti-gravity suspension wasn't dangerous enough, it amazed him how many drivers pushed his limits on the fast paced roads inthe sky. He groaned.

The only other solution was Kiba. The business leader no one knew anything about and the face that no one had ever been seen. The only image related to the name was a single fang carbon drawing, cleverly crafted after the name of the man's company—another mystery within itself. This solution seemed to make the most sense, merely because the company wasn't well**-**known for being discreet about its underhanded manipulations. The fact that Jiraiya was in hiding was proof of that and when Sasuke thought about it, discovering Naruto's whereabouts wouldn't have been that difficult—especially if the business leader was in fact his friend from the past. It was all very suspicious and Sasuke vaguely contemplated what information Naruto could possibly know to bring on such an onslaught of vengeance.

A drop in pressure brought the slim black sedan into the main parking garage, and Sasuke settled into his usual parking space. He relaxed into the seat, letting the thoughts in his mind begin to settle.

Naruto was in trouble and for reasons now one seemed to know. Above that, it was obvious that whoever was after him was well aware of his own involvement, and Sasuke decided that it was also very possible that Naruto's interactions with Neji would pay a toll as well. At this point in time, the situation was like a game.

Naruto moaned beneath him and Sasuke brushed a hand against his forehead, hissing as he realized that the smaller boy had developed a fever. He watched as Naruto's lips parted to take in even breaths, and he took a deep breath.

"You need a doctor." He said softly.

_I can't do this alone. _

The thought plagued him until he decided that it was the truth. If he didn't act quickly, Fang would remain ahead of him, complete with advantages. And he couldn't lose Naruto, at least not now. Not when he was so close to solving his own family mystery.

"Itachi." He said.

A moment passed and he lifted his Icon to his mouth, his voice soft and low. A beep indicated that his caller had received the line.

"Hyuuga, this is Sasuke. We need to talk."

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Naruto shivered. It wasn't that he was cold, or even that he was warm. He felt completely relaxed and wondered just how he could be so comfortable lying against another man, especially against Sasuke who was clearly still upset with him. He felt a low grumble tear at his throat as a cold hand pressed firmly against his stomach and he lifted a hand to rub his eyes. 

Was Sasuke examining him again?

The touch drifted upward, brushing across his two bruised ribs, and he tensed. They were sore and a stinging sensation had begun to complicate his breathing. He choked out a sound of displeasure as the hand prodded further, and opened his eyes.

"Ai—that hurts—"

"Be quiet."

Naruto peered upwards in an attempt to locate the familiar voice. He didn't have to look far, as Sasuke was leaning over him from behind, one smooth hand on Naruto's shoulder and the other tracing through his ruffled hair. It took Naruto a moment to realize that he wasn't in the Uchiha's vehicle, and that it couldn't be the raven's hand drifting methodically around his torso. In fact, he become conscious enough to realize that Sasuke was seated calmly behind him, cradling his head in his own lap, and that they were both seated on a large four poster bed.

As Naruto's vision drifted downward, he viewed a man only a few years older than him hovered over his waist in what appeared to be a delicate force of concentration. The man's hands were cold against his belly, and Naruto felt his breathing rush as he felt strong fingers dig into the base of his abdomen, into the same soft place Sasuke had discovered beforehand. He twisted in pain.

"Ahah—" Sasuke gripped him firmly and he breathed hard, biting his lip as he did so. He felt a few whimpers escape his control, and felt slightly more relaxed when Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. It was strangely comforting and he closed his eyes against the touch. He preferred it much more than the poking and prodding and it was a well deserved distraction.

The hands formed pressure over a few other sensitive areas and Naruto grimaced. Just who was touching him anyway? He became aware that the gauze had been removed and he vaguely wondered where he was and how he had slept through an astro-landing. A smooth voice broke his inner meditation.

"He should be fine. His ribs are healing nicely, but I'm concerned about his appendix. I think it may have been damaged."

The comment was followed by a prod at his midsection, assumably where his appendix was located. Naruto choked out a whimper.

"I think it would be best if we distilled it." The doctor finished and Naruto opened an eye to glare at the upright figure. He was tall and lean, with a thermometer extruding from his mouth. He looked bored.

"Thank you, Genma." Naruto turned his head to the side, surprised to see Neji standing tall and upright, and amazingly calm. His smooth hair had been pulled back into a ponytail and he was dressed at a casual minimal, wearing thin black pants and a colorless wife beater. He looked intimidating, even though he was dressed so casually and his eyes drifted to meet Naruto's after a moment's hesitation. He smiled.

"I'll go ahead and do it now, since I have my gear."

Naruto became tense as he had realized that it was his body they were discussing. He reached a hand over his head and tugged on Sasuke's sleeve, drawing the raven-haired man'sattention to him.

"What is he going to do to me?" He knew his expression looked pleading and though he had always been devout to science, his composure involving doctors had never been a strong one. Sasuke glanced down at him and shook his head.

"You'll be fine." Naruto couldn't help but notice how his question remained unanswered, and let his hand fall from Sasuke's arm. He heard the doctor fumble through a duffle bag and saw his figure return above him, holding an object that reminded him a great deal of the bug-removing device he had once witnessed in the Matrix. He shrugged backwards.

"No, no, no…" Sasuke's grip was tight and Naruto struggled against it. Genma peered over with annoyance and put a hand on his hip.

"Look, kiddo. I either remove the liquid, or you risk blood poisoning. Trust me when I say this is the lesser of two evils."

Naruto glanced up at Sasuke and the raven nodded. Naruto closed his eyes. He really, really hated doctors.

He felt the smooth suction of the device attach to his skin and he gripped the blankets to wither side of him willfully. He heard a click and felt like punching someone.

It felt like someone was giving him a hicky—and a really bad one. He assumed that the machine was extracting the liquid through vacuous force, and he bit his lip hard, hard enough to draw blood. The sensation lasted only a few moments before it ended, and Naruto glanced down to his stomach, shocked to see a giant welt where the suction had been previously. He breathed hard.

"Alright, all done. You," he motioned to Naruto, "Bed rest for a week. After that, nothing strenuous. Your ribs got cracked up pretty badly, and they need time to heal."

His vision drifted to Sasuke and he continued. "I'll leave morphine and amoxicillin for you to monitor."

Naruto felt Sasuke nod and he couldn't wait to indulge in the painkillers. His stomach was tensed and his ribs were sore. He watched as Genma turned to Neji and did something extremely odd. He saluted. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Did it hurt?" Naruto turned to the other side of the bed, surprised to hear yet another new voice. Chouji was leaning over eagerly, eyeing the bruise on Naruto's stomach. Naruto looked to the side of him and saw Shikamaru seated placidly, his expression lethargic.

"Um, yeah…" Naruto was confused. Why was everyone here?

Sasuke ran another hand through his hair and he heard the door drift to a close, a firm click confirming the doctor's departure. Naruto cleared his throat.

"Am I in trouble?"

The blonde glanced up to Sasuke who was staring rather intently at Neji. The clear-eyed boy was wearing a firm expression and Naruto could feel a serious air in the room.

"I guess we all have something to come clean with," Sasuke stated, and Naruto wondered what he was talking about. Chouji found a seat on the side of the bed and Neji sighed.

"Yes. I suppose you want some sort of assurance beforehand, correct?"

Sasuke nodded and looked to each of the other three in the room.

"The information we will be discussing is to remain completely private. Understood?"

The comment was more directed at Chouji and Shikamaru and Naruto felt a rush of irritation.

"But Neji doesn't know." He said curtly and Sasuke ignored him.

"I want us to be completely honest, Hyuuga."

Neji waved his hand. "I'll tell you only what I'm able to."

Sasuke spoke first. "This is Subaku's work."

Neji shifted forward, his expression flushed with shock. "What?"

Sasuke was glaring at Neji as if they were the only two in the room.

"Someone's put a hit on him. I'm assuming you already know why."

There was a pause, and Neji shifted his gaze towards Naruto. "What year?" he asked, as if it were a completely normal question. The blonde wasn't sure how to answer.

"I'm confused," he stated, and from beside him, Chouji agreed. Sasuke opened his mouth to comment, but Shikamaru beat him to the chase.

"Naruto, only people related to the government have access to private doctors. Genma came on Neji's command, so he's most likely not the president of Boushi enterprises."

Naruto took the information in slowly, and Sasuke responded to Neji's earlier question. "He's from 2007. What branch are you?"

Naruto followed Sasuke's gaze to the chocolate haired boy and raised an eyebrow in concentration.

"EFBI. Time officer, division twenty. I was dismissed from Haruno's case about a year ago, and figured Uzumaki was related."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what?"

Neji glanced down towards him and smiled lightly. "I'm a cop. I find people like you, who are from the past due to one circumstance or another, and determine whether or not they are a threat. Whether or not they should be prosecuted."

"Prosecuted for what? It wasn't my choice to come here." Naruto's voice ran cold and Sasuke spoke in turn.

"Some people do it intentionally."

From beside the bed, Shikamaru spoke. "So is Boushi Productions your cover-up?"

Neji shook his head. "No, Hinata is the president. I did sign for the cover, though."

There was a long period of silence and Naruto spoke.

"Let me get this straight. You've been investigating me, and no one else knew," he glanced at the Hyuuga, "and really, this is everyone that knows my secret. So, I guess the question is—"

"Who is targeting you," Sasuke finished the thought, and Naruto fell quiet.

The room held a long period of silence, and Chouji spoke. "So Sakura really is from the past. I wonder how that worked out."

"That's what I'm wondering. Naruto, if you could enlighten me, please." Neji's voice was smooth and precise, and Naruto laughed.

"I feel like a record on repeat every time I tell this story." Sasuke ran a hand over his forehead and bristled. "His fever's back."

Neji sighed, and turned, but Naruto interrupted. "No, we should get everything out now."

Neji turned back. "I wasn't leaving, just getting you medicine." He chucked a bottle of pills to Sasuke and the raven peeled a couple out and fed them to the blonde. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"I wasn't lying when I said I knew all that stuff about cryogenics. I wrote a master thesis on it in college, and my professor and I were going to invest in it. Sakura—she was my fiancée—and Kiba, my best friend, threw me a party. That's the last thing I remember."

"No, the last thing you remember is them huddled over you." Sasuke added.

"Wait, Kiba? As in Fang Corporation Kiba?"

Naruto and Sasuke both nodded towards Neji and the boy looked in deep thought.

"There's obviously much more to this than what we already know."

Sasuke spoke quickly. "Yes, I believe so too. You should also know that Jiraiya has made efforts to come into contact with Naruto."

Chouji gauged from behind. "_The_ Jiraiya? Amazing…"

There was a brief moment of silence before Neji entered a suggestion.

"I think it would be best if Naruto came to the station with me. He would be better protected—"

"No." Sasuke's voice was cold.

"I understand what you're thinking Sasu—"

"He'll stay here. No offense, but I'm not exactly of friendly terms with your kind."

Neji paused and shook his head.

"Fine. We'll be in contact and I'll try to drop by inconspicuously. As for you two," he nodded to the other side of the room, "It would probably be best if you two either stayed here or came with me."

There was a moment of silence before Chouji spoke. "Can I go with you? I'd love to get a feel for your job…and the people."

Neji nodded and eyed Shikamaru. The pony-tailed boy shrugged. "It's troublesome either way."

Sasuke broke in. "Stay here. While I'm away I want some one I can trust here with Naruto."

There was a pause. "No offense, but he managed to escape me once already."

Naruto felt a twinge of guilt and shook his head. "I was drunk. I won't ever do it again."

A chime rang through the room and Naruto saw Neji look at his Icon. He shifted towards the group, his eyes darker than usual.

"Everyone be on your guard. We don't know what Fang has planned."

A soft hand ran through Naruto's hair **as** the effects of the medicine took over.

Naruto was fast asleep.

* * *

A/N--> Hurrah, and the plot picks up! 

**IMPORTANT:**

Hey, so I finished chapter 32 but I am slowly but surely losing my lead with these two-chapter-a-week updates. I'm going to try really hard to get three chapters out this weekend, but if I don't, I may cut back to posting one chapter a week. Many of you might be sad or might complain, but trust me--waiting one week is a heck of a lot better than waiting two or three while I find spare time. I'll let you all know on Sunday though.

I feel like I had so much more to say and I've forgotten it all. Sad times.

Meh, I'll think of it for next time.

Thanks again for all for the reviews. Almost 450. ::tears::


	25. Broken Promises

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** I will chat with you all at the bottom, today!

Thanks again to Akaru-chan, my beta. I promise I will have another chapter to you this week...even if it kills me!

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**Chapter 25: Broken Promises**

Naruto twisted underneath a gathering of thick cloth, letting the smooth fabric slide over his bandaged torso He mumbledto himself as a heavy weight settled over his forehead. It lingered for only a moment before relieving itself and Naruto felt his head turn towards the abandoning heat, breathing deeply as he settled flat onto his back. His hand drifted to his eyes and rested on the bridge of his nose, blocking a light he assumed to be the sun. It was much tooquiet, and histhroat felthoarse. His body felt light, despite the weight of the blankets covering him. Only a dull soreness gripped his abdomen: a stark change from the burning agitation he had grown accustomed to. He felt his long lashes brush the peak of his cheekbones as he dismissed the lazy pull of sleep and he coughed.

"I brought tea today. I figured you would be sick of water."

Naruto turned towards the familiar voice, wiping away a thin run of drool that had collected at the corner of his mouth. He blinked quickly to adjust to the bright light and took a deep breath as his eyes found those of his visitor.

"I feel like shit."

He heard a clinking sound and saw a small kettle and glass settle beside him.There was a long moment of silence and Naruto felt the bed tilt, suddenly aware that his visitor had taken a seat next to him. His bright blue eyes made their final adjustments to the blinding light of day before meeting familiar onyx eyes.

"Your fever's gone." Sasuke's voice was calm, but the blonde sensed an undertone of relief. He realized momentarily that he didn't feel as ill as he did sore, and in a passing thought he discovered that his head no longer pounded with the inclination of a concussion. He felt a more natural smile tug at his lips and he made and effort to pull himself into a sitting position.

"How long have I been out?" Naruto yawned and stretched his arms high above his head, grimacing slightly as he felt stress over his ribs.

"Not even a day and you're nearly healed." The Uchiha's voice was strangely heavy and with an emotion that Naruto didn't recognize. He leaned over and lifted a glass of tea from the bedside table and sipped it, the cooling sensation of liquid trickling down his throat and rippling through his body like caffeine. It seemed to remind him that he was awake and his figure immediately started, the familiar energy of daily life coursing his veins. He frowned.

"I take back my earlier comment. I feel surprisingly…good."

He was slightly confused. He had been terribly injured and close to hospitalization. It wasn't normal for someone to be energetic and active a mere three days after a traumatic experience, even less following a concussion and internal injury. Naruto eyed his hands carefully, noting that the scars he had received from shuffling around in the alleyway had completely vanished. He allowed his eyebrows to furrow before glancing up towards Sasuke. The raven was eyeing him with a narrow expression.

"This is weird." Naruto stated, and wasn't entirely sure if he was referring to his lack of injury or Sasuke's silence. However, the latter was broken.

"Fascinating." Sasuke replied and Naruto shook his head, now knowing that the vacant expression on his partner's face was a reflection of his fast healing progress.

"It's probably another after effect of the preservation process." Naruto's mind plundered through the well of knowledge he had gathered on cryo-preservation and he tilted his head upwards in thought. He examined his hand and peeled back the bandages across his waist with interest, admiring the smooth and unblemished surface of his tanned skin. Even the gruesome purple welt the appendix machine had left on his stomach had vanished and Naruto had a vague notion that his quick-to-gain health wasn't normal.

"To be honest, it has to be a result of a miscalculation. Too much cryocooler maybe?" Now he was just thinking to himself. "Actually, that would explain a lot…"

It was only a moment before he realized that he was rambling, and he met Sasuke's eyes with an embarrassed sort of flush. He shook his head.

"Never mind all of that."

Sasuke knelt forward and rested his chin on his hand. He looked intrigued.

"No, explain." His voice was cold, and Naruto wondered if the mogul was still upset with him for running away in a drunken stupor. Naruto knelt backwards against the headboard and nodded slowly, curious as to why Sasuke was interested in his train of thought.

"Well, in theory…Cryocooler is a helium substitute. You probably already know that though. It's a coolant—and an expander. So if it was used in a cryochamber, it would not only freeze the organs using natural processes, but it would also inflate them, leaving less chance for damage. If someone put too much in with me…well, it may have reversed the cell ionization, causing…is this making any sense?"

Sasuke was still staring intently, his expression slightly more intent. His eyes had narrowed and his lips had pursed.

"Anyhow, if it had reversed cell ionization, it would have made, in theory, some of my cells…immortal? It sounds crazy but I'm positive that's what would happen…And not only that, but it would explain my acrophobia."

There was a slight pause. Sasuke spoke. "And how's that?"

Naruto glanced over towards the boy and knocked on his own blonde head.

"There's helium in here."

The idea was foreign because Naruto had never thought of it before. Using a coolant to de-mortalize cells? It seemed impossible. But under the right conditions anything could be made feasible.

"It definitely wasn't intentional.**" **Naruto added quickly "I'm positive whoever stuck me in there didn't intend on me waking up."

There was another long pause and Naruto turned to Sasuke before licking his lips and drawing out a sigh. "That's the first time I've really thought hard about cryo-technology since I've been here."

The raven sat backwards and frowned. He looked in a thought of deep contemplation.

"You know a lot." Sasuke sounded somewhat surprised.

"I told you that I did."

"Yes. But not soon after you got trashed and decided to pick a street fight."

Naruto frowned and knelt forward slightly. "I told you that it was an accident."

Sasuke didn't respond and Naruto could tell that he was doing his best to not argue. The blonde sighed.

"Look, I know that you've done a lot for me. Because of that, I don't like it when we're…this way."

He wasn't entirely sure why his comment had emerged sounding so intimate, but the tone didn't seem to effect Sasuke so he continued.

"We haven't had a chance to talk about that night."

Sasuke peered up at this comment and blinked slowly, making Naruto breath hard. Sometimes the Uchiha looked like a porcelain doll, and though Naruto knew he was incredibly resilient, there were times when Sasuke seemed almost vulnerable.

"So talk." Was his answer.

Naruto stumbled through his sentence, not entirely prepared with what to say. "Okay, well…um…I got drunk…"

"Brilliant deduction."

Naruto glared and spoke louder and with more assertion. "Look, I don't think you understand what's going on in my head. There's a hit man out for me…and it's most likely from one of my closest friends…and I'm in the future. Meaning I have little means of retaliating. And if it is either Kiba or Sakura, I can't go back to the past…because there's nothing there for me…" His voice was getting slower as he felt his mind coming to a conclusion to his thoughts, and he felt his voice grow low.

"And aside from that…I don't even think I want to go back. It doesn't even make any sense, I mean—my closest friends consist of a cop who's ready to arrest me, a college student who's obsessed with the past, a moonlighting bartender…and you. You—a guy that for some reason _completely_ beyond me I'd rather be dodging kisses around rather than arguing with. How fucked up is that?"

Naruto ran both of his hands over his scalp, massaging his temples as he did so. After a moment, the extent of his comment hit him and he glared upward at the other man.

"And that doesn't mean that I _want_ you to kiss me, by the way. It's just that, well, you're kind of my best friend and it feels like crap to disappoint people you admire."

There was a pause and Naruto decided that he had said too much. He rubbed his eyes.

"I'm not disappointed in you."

Naruto peeked out from behind his palms and rolled his eyes. "Right."

"I'm angry. You made a promise to me, and you**'**re going to break it."

Naruto glared. "What?"

"Idiot."

The raven stood up and dusted off a straight-faced suit, obviously prepared for office work. He looked ready to depart and Naruto struggled to the side of the bed.

"Wait—don't just leave." His tone was irritated. "You mean about your brother, right?"

Sasuke glared at him.

Naruto shook his head. "Look, I don't want you to leave angry at me. I told you I was an idiot…and that it wouldn't happen again. What else can I do to prove it to you?"

Sasuke looked down at him and spoke, his face cool and direct.

"Stay with me."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Sasuke turned so that he was facing Naruto more clearly. He spoke again, this time redefining his statement.

"Sign as co-owner to Uchiha Industries. It means no games, and no stunts. It also means that you can't go back to your time, even if you discover a way."

Naruto struggled forward, his brain chewing away at the proposition.

"Wha-? But why?"

Sasuke turned towards the door. "I'm late for a meeting. I would like an answer before tomorrow."

Naruto let his eyebrows narrow as the door closed behind the raven-haired man and he bit his lip in irritation. He may have been knocked out for less than a day, but something had obviously happened. He saw an icon next to his bed and picked it up. Whatever it was, he was sure to find out.

* * *

Sasuke approached the cement rigging with an air of irritation, turning his head slightly to watch a personal driver disappear with his vehicle into a rounded bend of parking structures. It was rare that he made the arduous journey to the main Uchiha Facility and he felt an annoying tug at the base of his skull as he debated whether or not he truly wanted to enter. It was meaningful whenever he did choose to visit, mainly because this particular building had been set aside specifically for private use. And when the word private was used, it was common knowledge that whatever happenings occurred inside would never leave, even at the risk of illegal actions. Sasuke had tried hard to deviate from this selective path and so far had been doing amazingly well. After all, the facility had been under his brother's control at one point, and though he respected his brother dearly, some of his methods had pulled Sasuke off guard.

He twisted around a thin corner of concrete walls, stepping carefully over a bundle of wires that were gathered at the base of the building's lower window lodgings. He grimaced as the lower trim of his pleated trousers paled with the spray of loose and dry dirt, and decided to ignore the downgrade of his appearance. It was impossible to enter the facility unscathed no matter who you were, and if all he had to show for it was dirt, he could remain satisfied.

A peak of sunlight brushed between the two warehouse buildings Sasuke was weaving between, and he felt his eyes constrict at the sudden rush of vivid light. He balanced himself against the right sidelong wall and emerged from the small alleyway in which he crept, not surprised to see a familiar figure standing almost predictably before him, outstretched in a lazy stance before a dried fountain sculpture. Sasuke lifted his vision and approached the man, his lips curling upward in comment.

"It's been a while, Kakashi."

The man lifted his head, revealing a rather bored expression.Stark gray hair drifted over pale features and Sasuke recognized a familiar eye patch, covering a wound he knew all too well about. As he stepped forward, the older man clicked his tongue.

"It's a little early for you to be wandering around alone, don't you think?"

Sasuke neared the man and walked forward down a cobblestone courtyard path, allowing Kakashi to follow. The thick and crackling brush of feet echoed in the small arena, and Sasuke answered.

"I can handle myself. It's you that I came to see anyway."

Kakashi chuckled and pulled a hand over his heart. "I'm touched."

Sasuke turned his head backwards and took in his friend, suddenly aware of how long it had been since they had spoken. The raven was vaguely aware that the encounter had been recent to Sakura's promotion to his fiancée and he shook his head slowly. So much time had passed and he was breathing deeply as he collected his thoughts. It was unlike him to be anxious and he straightened the hem of his wrinkled collared shirt before turning a corner to a small brick and mortar office building.

"Is this a safe place for us to talk?" he ventured and Kakashi nodded before walking in front of the younger Uchiha and pullingopen a heavy glass door. Sasuke nodded and allowed himself inside a small, organized room and sat quietly as Kakashi closed and bolted the door.

"I haven't seen you this serious in a while," Kakashi seated himself next to Sasuke and finished his thought. "And that's saying something."

The Uchiha shrugged noncommittally and raised his eyes in a devious motion.

"I know that we haven't spoken for a while, but I have a favor to ask."

The older man snorted and ran a hand through his ruffled hair. "Aside from babysitting your fiancée?"

There was a moment of silence and Sasuke glared defiantly at his friend. Kakashi laughed out loud and settled even further into his chair, crossing his legs in a distracting way. Black leather pants clung to the narrow angles his legs created and Sasuke felt his eyes drift upward towards the athletic build of his senior, taking in the smooth crest of paling flesh beneath a black polyester tunic. Hatake Kakashi had always been an attractive man, and like all subjects that were kind to the eye, he was equally as deadly. Sasuke knew this piece of information as a fact.

"Yes. In fact, after this favor she may need to be watched even closer."

Kakashi leaned forward, a brilliant run of light causing his eyes to shimmer. Sasuke felt the man's curiosity peak, and wondered how long it had been since his former mentor had received any exciting assignments.

"I need you to find Jiraiya." Sasuke's voice was low and fluid.

There was a moment of silence until the gray haired man spoke, his tone slightly irked.

"That's nearly impossible."

Sasuke snorted. "For a normal person, yes. For you, hardly."

Kakashi stood up and ran a hand over his chest, an action that was smooth and diverting. Sasuke watched as he paced, prepared to do anything to have his friend accept his proposal.

"Do you have any leads?" Kakashi asked.

Sasuke nodded. "He's got to be somewhere in state. He isn't one to stray far from what he desires."

"And that would be…?" Kakashi questioned. After a mere second, the gray haired man nodded to himself. "Your little blonde friend, I'm betting. Naruto Uzumaki, correct?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the sudden rush of knowledge. "You know a lot for a _retired_ hit man."

Kakashi laughed jovially. "I prefer to be called a con artist."

"Well, you'll be happy to know that this request will be directly in line with your newest wannabe. Subaku Gaara's on Uzumaki."

This seemed to halt the older man in his tracks and he whistled lightly. His eye had widened somewhat and Sasuke could tell that he had perked his senior's interest, especially when a delicious smile curled over the pale man's features.

"What's my time limit?" Kakashi questioned and the Uchiha felt a satisfied smirk take over his lips. He cleared his throat.

"No more than two days. And while you're out, someone needs to be on Sakura. I think she's been getting messages out to people."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"How else would Uzumaki have been discovered so easily**?"** It was more of a statement than a question and older man nodded in agreement.

"Right. I'll put Iruka on it. Anything else?"

Sasuke ran a hand over his chin and contemplated for a moment before shaking his head.

"No. Not for now at least."

Kakashi turned to the door to leave and glanced back accordingly. "I'll leave first. And kiddo, don't get in over your head. Even I wouldn't want to chance Subaku, no matter how good I am at the old slice-and-dice."

The Uchiha frowned faintly and as the man left. After all, at this point in time, it wasn't as if he had much of a choice.

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**A/N-->** Thanks for all of your review! Makes me happy.

Alright guys...::sigh::...I tried SO hard to write at least one chapter and I only got seven pages in...so for the next two weeks I'm only going to update once. So, next sunday and then the sunday after that...and hopefully by that time I will have the entire thing written and I will switch back. Thank you for your patience--I appreciate it and I can guarentee that it will pay off.

I've been getting a lot of the same questions from different people through my review and I decided to shed a little light on them.

1. **How did Naruto wake up (in the future)?** Ah, the mystery. Well, if any of you missed it, when he met Sakura, she did say something like, "I...I thought you were dead." And after this chapter, he even states that whoever put him in didn't intend on him surviving. So, I can assure you all that the true answer to this question will be revealed in chapter 33 which I am writing right now.

2. **How far ahead are you on the story?** I am finishing chapter 33 right now and I'm guessing that there will be about 40-45 chapters in the story. They are progressively getting longer so there isn't a need for quantity.

3. **Why do you call him 'Subaku' and not 'Sabaku'?** Good question. To be honest, I hadn't even thought about it until you guys commented on it...but for the sake of consistency, I'm just going to leave is as Subaku. I'll fix it in my next fic though.

4. **It is Kiba and Sakura, right?** Hmmm. I wouldn't be a good author if I gave all that away, now would I?

Okay, and now on another note, I have finally watched a few episodes of Kyou Kara Maou. It is ridiculously funny. Thank you for all of your helpful advice. Ha.

**NARUTO (SPOILERS)**

OMG! This chapter was the best one EVER! I knew the fourth was his father--I _knew_ it! But then, why did he take his mother's last name? And I really want to know what Itachi told him now...And I have a feeling that something is up with he and Sasuke's upcoming battle. Is it just me or does it seem just a little out-of-the-blue?

::squeals:: Go Naruto! Your dad was a genius and so are you. Hurrah!


	26. The Escape

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Surprise! Would you believe I wrote 3 chapters today? I caught up! Hurrah. So no need to break post yet.

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**Chapter 26: The Escape**

Naruto waited idly in the main lobby of Uchiha Corporate, tapping his fingers on the dark denim fabric of his jeans in an effort to pass time. His feet had begun to tap to an inaudible beat and he let his eyes search the room with an unusual distraction, not entirely noting anything specific in the chrome coated quarters.

He was waiting for Sasuke.

Aside from that small fact, he was also extremely nervous.

As his vision shifted sidewardhe caught the disapproving glance of a rather feminine looking male receptionist, and after a moment of carelessly staring the blonde, quickly veered his eyesight to the left and straightened his posture, fully aware that his actions were anything but professional. He felt the burning glare from the worker as he examined the shiny silver surface of the wall beside him, amazed at how immaculate the surface appeared. He felt the childish urge to poke the surface with his thumb and leave a print, but instead tucked the feeling away with a shake of his head and a dejected chuckle.

The loud whistle of a rotating door pulled his attention forward and he glanced up trivially, his fingers pausing their beat box actions momentarily as he scrutinized the figure that had entered.

Not Sasuke.

His fingers took on a new rhythm, this time faster; an obvious metaphor for the anxiety that was eating away at him.

He breathed deeply and met eyes with the receptionist for the second time, this time taking the opportunity to notice the form of discontent playing his gentle features. An eyebrow was raised and lips were curled, and Naruto managed a simple smile. The receptionist blinked and spun around in his wheelie chair, turning his back to the blonde ball of anxiety with a hissing squeak. Naruto blinked in return.

Another person walked in through the revolving doors and Naruto peeked upwards, an intake of breath marking the new arrival as the one he had been awaiting. He watched as Sasuke approached the receptionist, nodding politely upon welcome, and stood as the raven spotted him and neared the rear of the waiting hall. Naruto performed one last drum roll on his thigh before standing up.

"Have you been waiting long?" Sasuke's comment was smooth and collected and Naruto shook his head.

"Right. Let's go then."

Naruto followed the business man towards the revolving door, nodding lightly at the man seated behind the front desk, ignoring the look of curiosity that seemed to dominate his expression. As he slipped outside, he was gripped by a bruising sun and he squinted his eyes in the extreme light.

Sasuke was leading him towards the parking garage and Naruto felt a surge of decidedness overwhelm him. He reached forward and tapped the Uchiha's shoulder, grateful that the sidewalks were fairly empty in the late afternoon. This allowed Sasuke to turn back to him easily, a cool expression of reply grazing his hard features.

"Is there some place nearby where we can talk? I really don't feel like going in the car." In all truth, he had experienced enough nausea in the past few days to last him a lifetime and if he could spare a few hours in a flying automobile. Sasuke raised and eyebrow and stopped walking.

"Are you still feeling sick?"

It had only been half a day since he had last seen the raven-haired man and Naruto couldn't lie about his current condition. In actuality, he felt perfectly fine. Except for the fact he hadn't discovered an answer to Sasuke's question, everything seemed to be in order in his mind. He shook his head.

"No, I just want to go one day without hovering around."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and bit his lip, a movement that Naruto considered slightly out of character. In fact, it seemed to be a trait of anxiety. Was Sasuke nervous?

"Alright. There's a restaurant a few blocks from here." The taller boy began to move and Naruto picked up after him, walking casual and cool along the lower edge of Mason St, a more wealthy area of the city. He had grown used to the curious looks he received and merely ignored them, his hands placed strategically in his pockets and his face drawn almost compliantly into a cool frown. Dark lashes beat gently over his sapphire eyes and he vaguely wondered how the afternoon would turn out. Would he accept the Uchiha's offer or deny it? It was a question he wasn't ready to answer, and one he felt entirely nervous to approach.

He turned a corner in lieu of his raven-haired companion and licked his lips as thick restaurant smells suffocated the small street. They were walking through what seemed to be an alleyway of nothing but small diners and private eateriesand Naruto took in the scene with mixed emotions. The further they delved into the food district, the more crowded it became, and it wasn't until Sasuke pulled him into a small red brick building that he remembered the purpose of their dinner.

A small rounded man met them at the front counter and upon seeing Sasuke tapered towards a back hallway, motioning for the duo to follow. Naruto examined the inside of the bistro with a curious eye, admiring the gentle woodwork that reminded him of post dated Japan and nodded at the smaller gentleman as he slipped into a private dining room near the rear of the building.

Inside was a hardwood table with fine dishware and pale walls with intricate oriental patterns plastered in view. Naruto had little time to admire the art before he found himself sitting down parallel from the Uchiha, a thick menu placed in front of him.

Sasuke slid into his seat with familiarity and nodded off the host and it wasn't until the door to the small room clicked closed that he spoke.

"It's electronic."

Naruto glanced down at the menu in his hands and flipped it open, copying Sasuke's movements and was surprised to find that it was another digital menu. He glared at the screen, once again feeling as though nothing looked entirely appetizing, mostly because he had no idea what half of it was.

"Is there anything here like sushi?" Naruto questioned, and Sasuke nodded without peering up from his own menu.

"Try page 14."

Naruto navigated the miniature screen to the given page and felt satisfied with the list of options he was given. A small thumping sound from beside him gave word that Sasuke had decided on his meal and Naruto found a small icon labeled 'order' on the upper right side of the screen. He pressed it hesitantly and waited for a symbol of confirmation.

"My brother used to take me here when we were kids."

Naruto closed the menu and glanced up to Sasuke, surprised at the distant sound of his voice. The raven-haired boy was gazing intently at him and Naruto leanedback against his chair, preparing himself for a long conversation.

"Did he?" It was somewhat noncommittal, only because the blonde knew that the raven intended on elaborating. After a minute, Sasuke did.

"My parents would always take us to the corporate office. It was boring, and Itachi would try to make it more bearable."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "How old were you?"

Sasuke peered up, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Young. Five or six, maybe."

"How old was your brother?"

"My brother _is _seven years older."

Naruto remained silentfor a moment, taking note of Sasuke's emphasis. Sasuke turned to him and was about to speak when a waiter bustled in bearing their meals and two chilled glasses of water. Naruto puckered his lips and nodded.

"That was fast."

The waiter nodded to them before dispersing from the room, and Naruto was sure he heard the door to the room lock. He glanced over in question and Sasuke shook his head.

"Don't worry. It's a business meeting precaution. Usually when I'm here it's corporate business."

Naruto nodded and Sasuke didn't make an effort to touch his food. Instead, he spoke.

"When I was ten, my parents were murdered."

Naruto had been leaning forward to take a sip of his water but hesitated as the Uchiha spoke, slightly confused as to why his friend was speaking so freely to him.

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I suppose I want you to know where I'm coming from, since you still haven't made up your mind."

Naruto groaned and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it **s**o obvious."

Sasuke took a drink of his water and returned to his story.

"My brother took the blame for it. They threw him in high security prison for nearly a month before he escaped. There's a reward out for his head. I want to clear him."

Naruto stared ahead, taking in the information carefully.

"I see." Naruto had never known anyone who had gone to jail before, and in all honesty he had no idea how the futuristic court systems worked. He ate a small bite of his sushi and made eye contact with Sasuke.

"How am I supposed to help you clear him?"

There was a pause while Sasuke took a drink, but the raven spoke evenly after a low breath.

"I think that…we should find Jiraiya." Sasuke folded his hands and brought them to his chin, his eyes scanning the table with an uncommon intensity. Naruto sensed a sudden change in the atmosphere of the meal and figured that it was time for the both of them to get down to business. He bit into a large ball of clustered rice before commenting.

"Everything seems to be coming together."

Sasuke nodded and chewed on a small portion of his meal. "Subaku will be back. It's only a matter of time."

Naruto leaned backwards into his chair and bit his lip. "I wonder why Fang is threatened by me. There's no way for me to prove the thesis is mine anyway—if it is, that is."

"I'm not sure." Sasuke shook his head. "But with luck, Jiraiya may have some answers for the both of us."

"You're talking like you know where the old pervert is."

Sasuke's lips quirked upwards in a smile and he pulled another piece of food towards his lips. "I will, soon enough."

Naruto finished off his last roll of fish and rice with a pat to his stomach and raised an eyebrow. Sasuke's authority never ceased to amaze him and it was during moments like this that he was very thankful.

"You're like a mafia leader or something." He murmured.

Sasuke sighed. "It comes with the Uchiha name."

Naruto laughed and found a spare toothpick on the table. He fiddled it between his fingers before bringing it to his mouth, letting the jutted edge run across is teeth in order to remove a stray lump of seaweed that had caught itself in his canines. He stared at it for a moment before deciding that it was slightly gross, and shook his head, diverting his attention back to the task at hand.

"He's been in hiding for a while, right? Doesn't that mean he'll be hard to find?"

Sasuke chuckled and responded. "I have an advantage that Hyuuga and the others don't have. I just happen to know the old man's friends."

Naruto felt his eyes widen and he buckled his lips in a surprised manner. "Hmm. Uchiha is known for its resources."

This drew a quizzical glance from Sasuke to which Naruto replied, "Shikamaru told me so."

There was a brief passing of silence while the two finished their water. Naruto swirled his last swig in the base of his glass, watching as the clear liquid swish around and create a miniature cyclone under his ministrations. He licked his lips and drank down the remaining liquid, allowing his thoughts to drift in the brief lack of communication.

He was getting closer.

The truth—no, the mystery was beginning to take light. And with Sasuke's help and access, he was sure to at least discover how he had ended up in his current situation. But above that, he wanted to feel safe. Having a hit out wasn't entirely heartwarming, and the more he debated that meager fact, the more he realized that his friends were in danger because of him.

Sasuke, and definitelyShikamaru. Naruto secretly wondered if Neji had taken any special precautions in providing protection for them. Other than that, he contemplated whether or not Neji was aware of Sasuke's intentions of finding Jiraiya.

"Sasuke, does Neji know about us seeking out Jiraiya?"

The Uchiha shifted momentarily before parting his lips. "No."

"I think we should tell him." Naruto wanted to avoid secrets as much as possible, especially because Neji was an officer. The idea of Neji being employed under the government was still a foreign thought to him, and the limb the brunette was taking on his behalf was extremely risky. He owed all of his friends a great deal, and he didn't want to betray them by lying.

"I don't." Sasuke replied, his voice thick like syrup. "He won't agree with it."

Naruto blinked and breathed deeply.

"That may be the case…but I want to think that he'll understand."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised at Naruto's sympathetic demeanor. The blonde felt dark onyx eyes on his own and nodded to emphasize his opinion.

"Look, he can't stop us from going. But I owe him a lot for…well, keeping my secret."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "That was his choice, you know."

"I know, and I want to tell him. That's my choice."

Sasuke nodded, an exasperated sigh leaving his lips. He stood upfrom the table and rolled his eyes.

"Arguing with you, for the most part, is useless."

Naruto laughed and followed the taller man in suit. "You're realizing this just now?"

Sasuke held open the door for Naruto and the blonde sifted through, feeling slightly awkward at the foreign courtesy. He tilted his head backwards as Sasuke made another verbal note.

"I just don't understand how anyone actually survived in your time. You're too naïvefor your own good."

Naruto found his way to the exit and bowed briefly to the waiterwho bid the duo a polite farewell. As sunlight drenched their figures, Naruto spoke.

"Just because I'm nice doesn't mean I'm helpless." His words were stubborn, and Sasuke shook his head.

"_How_ many times have I come to your rescue?"

Naruto fell silent.

"Exactly."

There was a long pause before Sasuke peered down at Naruto, wondering why he hadn't retorted to his insult. He was surprised to see the lapis lazuli eyes of his friend narrowed and drawn forward, focused on the hover intersection before them.

"It's Hinata." Naruto said, and Sasuke followed his gaze to the petite female who was jogging towards them. Her face was flushed and Naruto spoke from his intuition.

"Something's happened with Neji."

She sprinted forward, a pained look creasing her brow. As she neared them she slowed down, leaning forward over an expensive plaited suit to collect her breathing. Naruto stepped forward and knelt down over her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Catch your breath," he stated, and he knelt down on his calves, peering up under the curtain of hair that fell dimly around her panting figure. From behind him Sasuke tensed, not used to males taking such familiar postures with women. He stood tall and solemn, surprised at how many glances their small cluster was gathering from passerbys.

It was unusual enough for a blonde to be in a wealthy neighborhood, but to have to recognizable corporate figures out as well was asking for trouble. The Uchiha stepped forward and placed a hand in his pocket, feigning dignity.

"We should go someplace private, correct, Hinata?" Her name sounded odd on his lips, but as she finally caught her breath she replied in the affirmative. Naruto was still peering up at her from below and she blushed faintly, letting her pale cheeks flood with embarrassment.

She stood quickly and was about to extend an arm to Naruto but not before Sasuke came forward, pulling the blonde up with a covetous force. She couldn't help but feel a sort of dominance from him—a possessive nature that she had never felt before.

"Quickly." She said, and the trio hastened forward towards the Uchiha Corporate office.

* * *

"Can you explain that in terms that I would understand?" Naruto leaned forward, eyes wide, mouth curved downward in annoyance. Futuristic terms rarely ever made sense to him, and the customs all seemed fairly bizarre. 

In response to his question Sasuke spoke, all while making sure that the conference room door was bolted behind him. Hinata was seated rather delicately at the bridge of the table, facing the two men with a concerned expression.

"It means that due to one circumstance or another, Neji has been put under probation by his unit."

Naruto cocked his eyebrow. "So he's under arrest?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No…and yes."

Hinata interceded in order to define. "I don't know the details…but it seems as though someone tipped off the Federal Bureau about you. They found out Neji was connected, somehow, and now he is under government confinement."

Naruto felt his eyes grow wider as realization sunk in. Guilt weighed on his conscience, but it was Sasuke that made him feel even worse.

"And with the recent merger it won't be long before they weasel their way here."

There was a long moment of silence before stood up. "Then I've got to leave."

Sasuke glared at him and rolled his eyes. "You're not going anywhere."

"I'm not going to be responsible for all of you going to prison."

Sasuke, ever the calm solvent, rolled his eyes.

"Hinata and I hold a great deal of economic power. It would take more than a few accusations to get us anywhere near even a courtroom."

The black-haired girl nodded and tapped her fingers nervously on the desk.

"I think that Neji will be fine. When we spoke…he told me that all of it was suspicious."

A period of silence came over the room and a series of shuffles could be heard from outside of the door. There was talking, ranting—a commotion.

"That was fast," The Uchiha commented, and Naruto panned his vision from the door to his onyx-eyed friend. As if sensing his bewilderment, Sasuke spoke.

"The police are here…and they got past me front door security. Meaning it's a government warrant."

Hinata was shaky, but her voice was surprisingly clear. "This is obviously a gimmick."

Sasuke nodded. "Definitely. I'd say it's safe that we assume they have an inside man."

Naruto heard the noises in the hallways grow louder, to the point where they could be deciphered. He turned to Sasuke. "You mean Fang has someone working in the government?"

The raven nodded and drew a finger to his lips, signaling for Naruto to be quiet so that they could hear the outside conversation.

A muffled voice came through, obviously an Uchiha employee.

"I'm telling you, Sasuke is not here." The voice was familiar. Naruto felt nerves begin to eat away at him. They were right outside of the door.

"It would be best if you didn't lie, son."

A pause. "Why would I lie to you? You're holding an automatic weapon."

Naruto frowned as he saw Sasuke smirk. There was nothing funny about the situation. The employee spoke again.

"Sasuke isn't here."

A pause.

"Tell me about his blonde boyfriend." The cop's voice was thick and displeasing, and the man replied. It was then that Naruto recognized the voice. Mizuki.

"What blonde boyfriend? I haven't seen a blonde…well, ever." It was a lie. Mizuki was protecting them.

Naruto suddenly understood Sasuke's smile. The worker was feeding them valuable information because he knew that they were able to hear it.

"I don't believe you." The harsh tones of the officer were growing impatient, and Sasuke stood up quietly, making his way back to a small computer desk in the rear of the room. He motioned for Hinata and Naruto to follow and both did so soundlessly, losing earshot of the ongoing argument outside.

Sasuke pulled up a web page and looked atHinata.

"Look, you won't have any problems with the cops because as far as they're concerned, Neji's the key player. I'm sure he's probably already protected you from any kind of investigation or prosecution. Therefore, while I'm away, I'm leaving a Power of Attorney to you for Uchiha Industries."

Hinata's eyes widened. "W-what? Where a-are you going?"

Sasuke clicked his tongue. "The less you know the better. Just in case." He was referring to the cops.

Naruto felt his heartbeat racing. "Why are they trying to arrest all of you?"

Sasuke and Hinata ignored him momentarily while they entered some information on the computer and used voice recognition to confirm the Internet access. After a moment a paper appeared on the computer with a giant ribbon-like stamp. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Is that a notary?"

Sasuke nodded. "Everything is done by internet these days, Naruto. We have to go."

The commotion outside was beginning to pick up and Sasuke pulled Naruto to his feet, turning to face Hinata with a calm expression.

"I trust you with everything here. It may be a while, but we'll get Neji out…and get this whole situation resolved."

Hinata grabbed Naruto's arm and peered up to him pleadingly. "Please be careful."

Naruto nodded but he was confused. Why were they being hounded? Why did they need to be arrested? How could Sasuke be so calm?

Sasuke pulled Naruto to a small indent in the wall and pressed it, revealing a small hidden passage. He turned towards Hinata and nodded.

"Things will be getting crazy for you. I'll send you message when we're safely hidden."

The female company owner nodded and closed the door behind them, preparing herself for the rush of officers that would no doubt enter within moments. Straightening her suit she sat down at the table, fiddling with a packet that had been sitting there on arrival.

With any luck, she would succeed with the interrogation. With more luck, the duo would escape unharmed.

* * *

A/N--> Finally the plot picks up. We're getting into the good stuff, guys. 

As an update from me, I just finished chapter 35 and I hope to do 36 tomorrow morning. I might update Saturday night instead of Sunday because I'm headed up to my cabin that evening, so keep an eye out.

Thank you for all of your reviews! We hit 500! It makes me so happy. I'll come up with a way to celebrate...hopefully by the next post...

Man...it's 2 a.m...I gotta go to bed...


	27. On the Run

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Okay, I will have absolutely no time to update this weekend so I'm just going to do it for you guys today. No update until next Thursday though, so don't be too depressed. I'm going to a CU vs. CSU party, plus work, plus cabin...plus impending finals of doom...:

:deep sigh::

But, I will be posting some fun pictures on my myspace on Tuesday if anyone wants to join in my weekend fun.

On a lighter note, hurray for the longer chapters! They have finally arrived. An I updated Uzu Tri. It's short, but I updated, darnit!

Anyways, I know why you're all here. )

* * *

**Chapter 27: On the Run**

Neji ran a hand through his hair, crafting a makeshift ponytail from a rubber band that had survived the customs search he had been warranted. A few stray strands draped themselves across his features before he tucked them behind his ears. He narrowed his eyes in concentration.

His quarters were small. Aside from that menial fact, the room was divided by a metal gate, three quarters of it solid and one barred—a crafty solution for suspects that either needed to constantly be viewed or relentlessly interrogated. Even though the cell was designed for such a person, in the twelve hours he had been incapacitated, not one officer, lawyer, or inspector had chanced his corridor. An odd fact.

The meager furniture that had been provided was heavy and chrome—'safe' furniture more fit for criminals of a more dangerous nature than a man accused of withholding information. Neji shifted on the white cushion beneath him, noting its soft nature and placed his chin in the balls of his wrists, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. His back settled into the new position, and he continued to scan the room, perhaps for the hundredth time.

A sink. A metal sink with a turn faucet. And a toothbrush. Below the sink was a metal wastebasket—gated, he noted. No bag inside—most likely to prevent thesuspect from suffocating himself. Cement floors. Long tiles, no gaps in the sealing stucco. Freshly mopped, judging by the linear markings beneath his shoes. He blinked slowly.

They had let him keep his shoes. Another oddity. Why be put in a complete safe-room if you were going to be left with items that could be constructed into a weapon…or even worse, a tool for escape?

He allowed his eyes to wander upward in order to continue his examination of his confinement.

There was one light—a fluorescent bulb. It was high on the ceiling. Not easily accessible unless furniture was moved in purpose of a prop, mainly his cot—a heavy cot, with box springs and no easily detectible hinges or units.

A cotton mat supported him from below and he rested his head against his wrists. Feathers. A mat filled with feathers.

Neji felt an uncomfortable tug as his white button-up work shirt caught under his elbow, and he leaned upward to relieve the pressure that was beginning to make the inside of his arm numb. The atmosphere was quiet and the room and corridor was empty.

It was very suspicious.

But then again, everything about his detention was fairly nonsensical. He had been accused of communicating with a traveler, a term attune to persons who had transcended time through cryogenics or other means. The accusations had been true and he hadn't denied it, but merely stated that it was an investigation at the 'benefit of the bureau'. He was, after all, a longstanding officer with the government and he had figured that it would be overlooked under the general circumstance of trust.

But apparently his loyalty hadn't been well enough defined.

In a note of precedence, it was also fairly convenient that he had been discovered at all. This was the most important fact. It meant that someone knew about Naruto. Maybe not specifically or in detail, but in the case of Uzumaki, any type of knowledge was power.

And that concerned him.

His eyes darted leftward as his silence was shattered. The entryway door was cranked open from beyond his vision, and it hammered into a doorstop with a resounding thump. Footsteps shuffled through and Neji breathed slowly, making no attempt to soften his resolve. He wasn't nervous. He wasn't even anxious. He was always calm, always focused. And as his commanding officer came into view, accompanied by two men, he put his cool and collected exterior to work.

"Neji."

The captain's voice had always been deep and boisterous, but now, Neji noted, it had an undertone of concern. It would be impossible for an outsider to recognize, but Neji was practiced in reading people. The man knelt down to his knees and held one of the steel bars to support his figure. Neji tilted his chin up and responded to his superior.

"Captain."

The man laughed a simple laugh and shrugged forward. "There's no need for friends to be so formal."

Neji felt his mind perk. The comment was awkward. Since when did his commander refer to his officers as friends? It was a hint. A secret language. Hidden words that the two government men wouldn't be able to decipher. He thought for a moment before realizing what the older man was asking.

Friends. He was asking if he and the traveler were friends. Friends enough to protect—enough to go to jail for. Neji answered in what he knew would be taken as an affirmative.

"Morino." He followed his commander's name with a courteous nod and eyed the two agents lightly, waiting for his commander to respond. Instead, a government agent spoke.

"It has come to our attention that you have been in contact with an illegal immigrant. More importantly than that, you have not submitted the traveler for registration. This is a serious offense. One not taken too lightly—even for an officer of your superior standing."

Neji calculated the expression on the gentleman's face, mentally noting how the balding man's eyes sat firmly on him, scrutinizing—searching for a reaction. Neji did not satisfy him with one, only spoke smoothly.

"I was under the impression that the matter of registration was under precinctual consideration rather than federal."

The balding man frowned and licked his lips, leaving a glossy shine of saliva in his tongue's path. "That consideration is only operational for travelers whose identity is better undisclosed."

"Perhaps that is the current situation?" The second government agent chimed in, directing his interrogatory question rather kindly towards the Hyuuga. Neji saw past the gentle phrasing of the question and through to the true nature of the question. They wanted him to admit that he had come in contact with an unregistered traveler.

"I hardly think any of your questions will be answered considering the absence of a lawyer during this interrogation." Morino's voice was cool and threatening. He didn't like his officers offended, and Neji could read that the man was also questioning the viability of the situation.

The balding man laughed and a rough concourse of phlegm gargled in his throat.

"I would expect you to be more concerned, Commander."

Morino scratched at a fading scar on his face and glared forward, his eyesight locked on Neji's. He articulated his next statement with an unconditional clarity.

"You must realize how serious your offense is, Neji. Is there anyone who can speak for you?"

Neji contemplated the hidden message of his commander again.

'…_how serious your offense is…'_ Morino was telling him that the situation was grave…and from the look on the Captain's face, also very suspicious. He debated the second sentence—more specifically, the question.

_Speak? _No, that wasn't the key word._ Anyone_ Yes. He was asking if other people knew besides himself.

"Captain Morino, it isn't very wise to involve innocent civilians. Wouldn't you agree?"

There. His key word: _innocent._ Other people knew, alright. But none were innocent, all were directly involved.

Neji glanced up towards the government men, noting that they hadn't caught on to the two soldiers' ploy. They were glancing towards each other in an attempt to shape their questioning. To trap him maybe? The fat man nodded to the thin one, and the second official spoke.

"Well, in that case, you'll be happy to know that we are in the process of obtaining a person suspected to be a witness. A certain man of importance. In fact, a certain Uchiha Sasuke."

Neji felt the urge to narrow his eyes but resisted. Give them nothing, he thought. Morino, however, raised his eyebrows, and Neji could read the thoughts passing through his mind. Morino was processing it all. If no innocent people were involved, it meant that the traveler's presence directly impacted Uchiha Industries. That was a feat—and a big one at that.

"You don't seem too surprised." Baldy commented, and Neji sat up and shrugged.

"Uchiha and I have never been close. Why would I keep note of all of his acquaintances?"

The thin man spoke sweetly. "Well, if he was getting close to your traveler, it would be quite relevant, wouldn't it?"

Morino spoke in Neji's stead. "Nothing more. Not until he is assigned an attorney. I don't like this game you both are playing. Not with my officers."

The chubby bald man chuckled. "It may be a few weeks before we can find one suited for this type of situation." It was a delay—a blatant threat for a delay.

Morino turned to Neji and spoke softly, another mixed message in his words.

"Can you wait two weeks? Or should we find the lawyer…sooner?"

Neji caught his meaning quickly this time, and was surprised. There were two key words, wait and lawyer. Wait was self-explanatory…but Morino was referring to Naruto with the word lawyer. Could the traveler wait?

"No." his answer was short and cut. Not only did Uzumaki have a hit on him, he was now under government retrieval. No, Naruto couldn't wait.

Morino nodded. "Then I guess it can't wait. The unit is on your side, Neji."

Another message. Morino was giving him permission to escape. Aside from that, Morino was telling him that he had friends—people that would help him. Neji nodded.

"Good to hear. I'm sure there are others, too." His own hint, telling Morino to backtrack his steps in order to find other allies.

The two government agents hardly appeared defeated, and the fat man grinned rather carelessly. "Well then. We'll be seeing each other again, Hyuuga Neji."

The brunette didn't respond as the two men shuffled away, leaving a brief moment between the two comrades.

"This situation reminds me of some of my old cases. The early ones." Neji offered another hint to the older man.

"Hn. Should I call Hinata?" No message.

"No, she already knows." Big hint. "I used my first call to inform her."

"Ah. I'll be seeing you then."

Neji nodded. The sound of shuffling feet faded into the distance and a loud groan symbolized the closing of his narrow and empty hallway. He sat for a moment before standing rather abruptly. He pulled the rubber band from his hair and loosened the ties on his shoes, following his action by removing his belt. He grabbed the toothbrush from the sink and unhinged the circular faucet handle, taking a washer from beneath it. He set all of the objects on his bed and examined them before eyeing an air conditioning vent above him.

They had left him an awful lot of resources for an inmate.

"You want me to escape. To lead you to him." He noted.

For Hyuuga Neji, a homemade explosive was child's play. Not quite his style, but it wasn't as if he had much of a choice.

He grinned lightly before reaching down, lifting the belt, and snapping it loudly between his hands.

"Catch me if you can."

* * *

"Sasuke, slow down!" The Uchiha was gripping him tightly while leading him rather quickly down a narrow alleyway, eyes darting nervously in the darkness. Even though Naruto had been panting and complaining for a while, it was apparent that Sasuke had no intention of slowing his pace. The blonde inhaled deeply and stumbled forward, yanking his hand out of Sasuke's grasp.

The Uchiha turned and glared. "I know we've been going for a while, but we've got to get out of the city."

Naruto panted as he leaned against a dirty brick wall, gratefully taking in the warm atmosphere of a blinking fluorescent light above him. He narrowed his eyes.

"I realize that." He was getting irritated. They had been on their trek for nearlyone third of the day, and night had already settled into the thick and muggy clearance above them. On top of that, he was hungry.

"Don't get testy. We're almost there, anyway."

Naruto growled. "Don't tell me not to get angry. Neji's in prison, Hinata's fending for herself—who knows what happened to Chouji and Shikamaru…and here you and I are, racing the sun to get to some imaginary hideout in the middle of some nonexistent alley."

As Naruto inhaled he felt his breath catch and he choked back a cough. His voice was hoarse from panting and his lungs felt like they were going to burst. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Neji and the others will be fine. They're grown men—they can take care of themselves. You, on the other hand…"

Naruto pinched his lips. "What is that supposed to mean? I'm grown—"

"Then stop acting like such a child. Who do you think we're all risking out lives for? Be grateful and trust me."

Naruto took his comment as a slap to the face. Ever since they had left the office, an awkward atmosphere had surrounded the duo. Naruto could tell that Sasuke was worried for the others even if he didn't admit it. And aside from that, it was obvious that Sasuke was worried for him. But still, he didn't like being talked down to.

"That was uncalled for." Naruto stood up, his breath finally stabilizing. Sasuke looked angry in the faint glow of moonlight and didn't respond, only breaking intoanother jog. Naruto, surprised that the Uchiha hadn't grabbed his wrist, sifted forward, his muscles straining as he broke into a run after his friend. When he caught up he stayed close, following Sasuke's movements as he darted in and out of alleyways in an awkward pace. It was only a few more minutes before they stopped, and Naruto realized that they had reached their destination.

Before him was a tall entry way with a neon sign, written in a language that appeared to be Japanese. The small store—or at least that's what it appeared to be—was nestled deep in the confines of a maze of alleyways and Naruto was sure that ifhe was left to his own devices, he would be completely and utterly lost. He stepped closer to Sasuke and the raven rappedon the door. After a long moment a small sliding sight window opened and a bulging eye peered out.

"Who comes so late?" The voice was rough and ragged, and Sasuke spoke with an equal integrity.

"Uchiha. Open up."

Naruto glanced back and forth between the bloodshot eyes and his companion, wondering exactly where they were. Even though only a tiny peephole had been opened, the thick scent of sweat and cinnamon escaped and he felt his eyes water. Sasuke spoke again.

"Tell Yamato that I've come to get his favor."

There was a pause and the sliding window grinded shut. And then silence. Naruto felt the need to ask what was going on but remembered Sasuke's earlier comment about him being childish. He bit his lip and looked away, a small voice in his head encouraging him to not speak. Sasuke seemed content with the silence and as Naruto was resisting the urge to comment about no one coming back, the door began to open, a loud grinding moan exerting itself from the base where wood met cement.

Sasuke stepped forward and Naruto followed him in, squeezing through the small space provided for entrance. And he gasped.

The smell of the place was thick and pungent and the air was foggy and covered in smoke. He smelled food and sweat, and an overwhelming aroma of sweets. The walls were red and peach and the ceilings were low, and music seemed to pump and echo through every corridor. There were people everywhere—men everywhere, dancing, kissing, doing other things that Naruto found himself ashamed to watch. He reached forward to clutch the back of Sasuke's shirt, but stopped himself. He didn't want to be a child.

The raven moved through what seemed to be a main room and Naruto followed closely, weaving through the intricate array of scantly clad men, occasionally feeling a hand brush across his thigh or neck, and once through his blonde hair. He ignored the uncomfortable sensation growing within him and decided the hideout they had located was much more accurately defined as a club. A weird, modern, futuristic dance hall.

He escaped into a less popular area with Sasuke, a long hallway that crawled into the distance, and took in a group of seated youths who were laughing as they shot themselves up, and Naruto felt his eyes widen. He had never considered drugs in the future, and seeing it made him feel even more uncomfortable. He was definitely a good boy when it came to illicit situations.

Sasuke led him around a corner and stopped outside of what appeared to be a bedroom door, turning quickly to address him.

"Yamato is an old friend of my father's. He owes me some money so we should be safe here for a couple of days."

Naruto eyed the door and then Sasuke, and the raven spoke again. "I'm going to go talk with him. Stay here."

Sasuke disappeared into the doorway and Naruto stood awkwardly, running his hand over his inner elbow in an uncomfortable stance. Sasuke acted as if this place was normal, a fact that impacted him greatly. It was weird and he was slightly irritated.

Men drifted by him occasionally, eyeing him with interest, and he knelt back against the wall and glared at them. They walked away in fits of giggles, making comments about his blonde charisma. Naruto wondered why it was taking Sasuke so long.

"You look lost, kitten."

Naruto turned his head to the side, surprised not to hear the approaching steps of an attractive Asian boy. His hair was short and his frame was thin, and a long necklace with a marijuana leaf hung loosely over a tight shirt cut at his midsection. Naruto eyed the necklace with distaste and the boy laughed.

"Don't worry, I don't do joints. I just sell them."

Naruto's normally patient exterior had vanished long ago and he narrowed his eyes.

"Like that is any better."

The boy stepped backwards and his eyes widened. He grinned, a seductive smile that seemed to reveal his teeth in an almost primal manner.

"Blonde and aggressive. Do you wanna top?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow as the meaning came to him and he crossed his arms and looked away annoyed.

"No thank you." He was getting better at warding of perverted men. His luck with boys, however, wasn't quite as promising.

"Ah, you prefer to be below." The boy spoke as if they were discussing something relevant, like politics or media.

Naruto snorted. "Actually, I prefer women."

The boy stared for a moment and laughed. His eyes glowed a gentle hazel in the lightand Naruto caught his breath.

"Look, I'm waiting for someone. You're wasting your time." Naruto wanted the weird boy to leave.

"Sai." The boy said. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"My name. It's Sai."

Naruto stared at him.

"Just in case you ever want to be waiting for me."

Naruto continued to stare as the boy leaned forward and kissed his cheek, winking in a playful way.

"I never disappoint."

Naruto watched as the stranger disappeared from wherever he had come from and thought hard about his comments. From behind him, the door opened and Sasuke exited, a taller man at his side wearing thin-rimmed sunglasses and a black bandana.

Before either of them spoke, Naruto broke the silence.

"We're in a whorehouse."

Sasuke and Yamato raised an eyebrow and Naruto almost laughed, an uncomfortable emotion building up inside.

"It figures. Well, what's the plan?"

Sasuke and Yamato moved aside, allowing Naruto to enter the room.

* * *

A/N--> Hurrah!

Okay, I know I promised a victory 500 review thing, but i have had no time. Here's my plan--on Tues I will finally get my deviant art acct up and I will make a wonderful banner. In the mean time, I thought it would be fun to play a **game!**

**Top 3 SasuNaru moments in the REAL manga. POTENTIAL SPOILERS**

I'll start.

1.) When Sasuke came across the Naruto Bridge and smiled.

2.) When Naruto found out he was the wind element and Kakashi warned him, "You have to be careful because Sasuke's element is fire, which wind feeds." And then Naruto said, "Exactly. I'm the only one that can save him."

3.) When Naruto says, "I'm a better brother than you ever were." to Itachi.

::sigh:: I love friendship.

Alright--see you all next week!


	28. The Underneath

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thanks for all of the reviews! They make me smile and write more. I went to my cabin and got sick (HA, go figure) and so I had no energy to make a banner. When we hit 600 you guys'll get one, okay?

* * *

**Chapter 28: The Underneath**

"Let me be the first to welcome you," Yamato stated, leading both Naruto and Sasuke to a traditional Japanese tea room, "To the Purple Heart."

The lean man lowered his arm in a welcoming fashion, directing the two younger guests to enter the room and be seated. A small traditional table was placed in its center and Naruto followed Sasuke as he lowered himself downward onto a pillow, apparently the substitute for a chair.

He followed Yamato as the older man seated himself across the table, providing them both with two small cups of steaming tea, offering a bowl full of sugar cubes afterwards. Naruto politely took a couple out and dropped them into his cup.

"Purple Heart?" He asked as he stirred the teawith a miniaturespoon.

"Ah." Yamato nodded in the affirmative. "A night club of a more…dangerous nature."

Sasuke snorted from beside him and Naruto nodded. He had figured as much.

"How long are we going to be staying here for?" The blonde asked, directing his comment towards Sasuke. The business owner shifted his head to meet Naruto's curious gaze before prompting an answer.

"A couple of days. Until we get word on Jiraiya's whereabouts."

Naruto nodded, his gut feeling sending thoughts of retaliation to his mind. It wasn't that he didn't want a safe place to stay, but in his opinion, the Purple Heart wasn't a location he would consider **s**afe. It felt dirty to him—made him feel claustrophobic. The drinking, erotic dancing, and the drugs made him question whether the foundation was legal, and above that, what kind of company he could expect during the course of their stay. Certainly none he would be comfortable with.

"I'm assuming you've never been to a place like this before?" Yamato had taken a sip of his tea and was examining Naruto acutely, studyinghis reaction. Naruto set his cup on a thin napkin.

"Visiting places like this isn't exactly in my nature." He felt as though his comment was a little curt but he also decided that it was best to be direct. The older man nodded, his sunglasses riding the bridge of his nose with his jerky movement. From beside him, Sasuke added a comment.

"This place is the most beneficial place for us to be right now. The people who drift in will most likely have information about Subaku's location and because of the illegal activities here, no one will turn us in."

Naruto understood. If anyone turned them in to the police, it would be admitting that they too were at the Purple Heart. He turned towards the stranger and extended his hand as formally as possible.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki."

A smirk crossed the stranger's face and he took Naruto's hand in a firm grasp.

"Yamato. It's a pleasure."

Sasuke finished his tea with a silent sip and cleared his throat.

"Have you heard from Kakashi then?"

Yamato turned his attention towards the raven and nodded. "Yes. He was quite pleased that you managed to escape so effortlessly—and with Naruto unharmed. He says that the Hyuuga has made quite a stand in protecting your commercial assets. Well played, Mr. Uchiha."

Sasuke smirked. "It's unlike you to expect anything less from me, but under the circumstances I'm flattered."

Naruto entered the conversation. "Who is Kakashi?"

Yamato smiled dimly, somewhat surprised that Naruto didn't know. "Kakashi is a close friend of mine. He is actually the only thing Uchiha and I have in common."

Naruto glanced to Sasuke and the raven elaborated. "He worked under my father as a bodyguard but that title is outdated. Now he's better known as—"

"Snake Eye. The world's most venerable assassin." Yamato said and followed it with a chuckle. Sasuke appeared annoyed that he had been interrupted and Yamato shrugged playfully. "I can't help it—it's just so fun to say."

Naruto didn't catch the humor. "Wait, a hit man? Like Subaku?"

"Better." Sasuke said, and Yamato nodded.

"Because of his reputation he knows a great deal of people. In that aspect, he will definitely discover where old man Jiraiya is."

The blonde nodded, not knowing what else to add to the conversation. He figured that if Kakashi was a friend of Sasuke's the situation would beunder control even though he didn't like the idea of trusting a felon.

"Sasuke tells me that you've come a long way. The look in your eyes tells me that you're still adjusting." Yamato's sunglasses caught a glare from an overhead light and Naruto narrowed his eyes. How much had Sasuke told the older man?

"Though everything looks similar, there are many differences." Naruto decided to stick with safe replies. Sasuke, sensing his hesitation, interjected.

"Yamato knows about your history. It was a trade—the truth for protection."

The older man laughed and rubbed his nose before refilling the empty teacups placed before each of them. He extended the bowl of sugar cubes and Naruto took another set of two.

"I thought I had adjusted. I've never been to a place like this before though."

"I didn't mean to be intrusive," Yamato said. "I honestly have no idea how to cater to someone of your…well, bizarre background."

Naruto almost smiled. "As long as I'm fed and have a place to sleep I will be perfectly content."

Sasuke finished his drink and nodded towards the lean man, his lips peeling open for dialogue.

"Thank you again. For everything. Both the future of Uchiha Industries and my brother rely heavily on him."

Yamato laughed a low rumble and waved his hand in dismissal. "I would have helped you even if you had kept your reasons to yourself. It is a shame we did not stay in touch after your father passed away."

Naruto sensed Sasuke tense beside him and lowered his vision. Sasuke responded casually with an undertone of distaste. "When my father died I was left with little freedom."

Yamato nodded. "Indeed. He would be proud of you, though."

There was a long pause before Yamato clapped his hands together and stood from the table, disturbing the contemplative silence that had filled the room.

"I'm sure that the two of you are exhausted. I've taken the liberty of having a master suite prepared for you both—"

"Two rooms, please." Sasuke's voice interrupted, and Yamato glanced down inquisitively.

"Naruto would prefer two." Sasuke explained, and Yamato glanced between him and the blonde respectively. He pursed his lips and laughed.

"Ah, I see. I assumed." He nodded again. "Yes. Two suites then. Would you both care to follow me?"

Sasuke stood up almost immediately and Naruto followed rather sluggishly afterwards, an awkward offense gnawing at him. Sasuke was correct—he would feel more comfortable with his own room. But in the same light, why didn't Sasuke want to be with him after making such a big deal about his importance? He wondered if Sasuke was finally realizing his independence or if there was something more to his suggestion.

Yamato led them down the hallway outside of the tearoom for what seemed like fifteen minutesbefore reaching a small corridor of what appeared to be one of themore expensive looking rooms. They had thick oak doors and gold handles and name plates perched high on the door mantel. Yamato stopped at the first one and opened it, stepping aside to allow its tenant in.

"Sasuke, room 1012."

The Uchiha turned towards Naruto and nodded. "I want to try and get some information on Subaku tomorrow. Will you be alright on your own?"

Naruto thought for a moment and nodded. "I guess. When will you be back?"

"I'll find you when I'm finished. Keep yourself out of trouble while I'm busy."

Naruto nodded as Sasuke disappeared into his room and watched the oak door click to a close. From behind him Yamato placed a hand on his shoulder, a silent indication to move forward to his own quarters. Naruto turned and followed the new acquaintance a few short steps to a door labeled 1016.

"I didn't mean to offend you earlier. It's just a rarity for Sasuke to have close friends and not, well…"

Naruto nodded him off. "Don't worry about it. Goodnight."

He opened the door and stepped inside, turning abruptly to close it, but Yamato's foot caught in the door like a stopper.

"Tomorrow. You should come find me."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Um, alright."

"Sasuke probably won't be back until late in the evening and you don't seem like the type to be cooped up all day. I'll keep the wandering hordes from you and teach you a few tricks—that is, if you're interested."

Naruto licked his lips and narrowed his eyes. "Tricks?"

Yamato laughed and released the door, allowing Naruto to support it instead.

"Self defense. If you're up against Subaku you'll definitely need it."

Naruto thought for a moment and nodded his head, his expression not completely trusting of the new ally. "Alright."

Yamato smiled and sauntered away, leaving Naruto in a completely silent room that reminded him of the hotel suite he had originally met Sasuke in. It was big and luxurious and had a sexual undertone that wasn't difficult to miss.

He spotted a pair of silk pajamas neatly folded at the foot of his bed and an outfit for the next day sprawled next to it and shrugged his shirt off, throwing it rather passively onto a decorative chair. He changed his clothes and crawled into the bed, drawing the overhead light off from a dial next to his bedside table. He sat in the darkness, the exertion of the day finally catching up with his muscles, and allowed his eyes to drift to a close.

* * *

Naruto was excited to sleep in, mainly because his body seemed to be in desperate need of it. It was almost noon when he shifted into a **s**tate of consciousness and he reluctantly lifted himself up from the comfortable cushions of his bed. His body complained as he drifted towards an attached bathroom—especially his legs which burned from the previous day's strenuous activity. 

Toting the clothes placed out for him the day before he showered and dressed himself, slightly embarrassed to wear the outfit that he had been assigned. His jeans were loose and cargo style, lined with several pockets on the right side. He had been given a tight muscle shirt with intersecting red and blue lines plastered on the upper left side, a small stylized peace sign etched beneath. It looked clichéd to him but he shrugged away the feeling, instead deciding to dry and comb his hair.

"I need it cut." He noted, feeling annoyed as bangs were beginning to form on his forehead. He swept them back and applied a few runs of complimentary gel, carefully spiking his locks in a familiar style. He slipped on a pair of shoes and drifted out of the room, his goal to locate Yamato.

His stomach growled and he rubbed it soothingly, mentally promising to ask for sustenance as soon as he found the older man. He passed Sasuke's door and paused slightly, moving forward once he decided Sasuke had probably already woken up and began his inquisition. Turning a familiar corner he slipped past a few loitering guests, all of whom eyed him with a keen interest. He paid them no mind and continued forward, nearing the door he and Sasuke had entered before.

He stopped outside of it and knocked lightly, hoping that it was Yamato's room and not just a tea hall. There was a long pause, and no one came. Naruto frowned and turned away, glancing down the side of the hall that led to the dance floor he had struggled through with Sasuke. He bit his lip and stepped forward, his stomach getting the better of his priorities. At least if he couldn't find Yamato he could find food, and with luck one would lead to another.

Naruto noticed how empty the building had become as he only had to glide between various couples that had gathered near the entrance and decided that the Purple Heart was most likely an entertainment area best fit for the night. He could see the dance floor clearly now and he spotted what appeared to be a bar on the farthest side. There was a long counter with contoured bar stools placed below, and Naruto plowed forward, hoping they would have a breakfast of some sort.

As he approached, a hand caught his shoulder.

"If you go there, they'll charge you. Come on, I'll order some to my hall." Naruto turned and was surprised to see Yamato standing tall and stern, clothed in a long black robe with pleated black pants. The man grinned.

"I was wondering when you would be up and around."

Naruto followed him forward, rubbing his stomach as it groaned again.

"I went to the tea room but you weren't there."

Yamato laughed. "I see. I should have told you that my room is actually on the far west side. That was just a social room, last night."

Yamato led Naruto down a series of halls before reaching one that was decorated in crème and black and he spoke to a tenant who was standing idly against a hallway wall.

"I'm placing a food order." He turned to Naruto as if to ask what he wanted and Naruto spoke up.

"Whatever is offered as continental." He couldn't go wrong with that choice. The man nodded and shuffled off, and Yamato opened the door adjacent to them, revealing a room full of weapons of all natures. Naruto gasped.

"Why on earth—"

"I suppose I should tell you the reason that Kakashi and I are friends." Yamato closed the door behind him and drifted towards the center of the room where a red velvet loft couch was placed before a table. There were boxes of nuts and bolts and random spare parts posted around the room, and Naruto watched uneasily as Yamato removed a few smaller guns from the seating area to make room for them both.

"Actually, Kakashi and I used to be competitors, but ever since the initial situation with Jiraiya, he and I have been somewhat like allies."

Naruto sat down and flicked a washer from his side. "Competitors? You're an assassin as well?"

The phrase came out surprisingly casual and Yamato nodded. "Ah. Not a very good one though. I do better at catching rumors for people like Kakashi…I'm more like a messenger."

Naruto nodded slowly in understanding. "I see."

The door clicked open and a young man entered, a tray of fruits and breads in his hands. He set them on the table, smiling politely. "Enjoy."

Naruto could barely wait for the young man to leave before he delved into the plate, ripping off a small piece of sourdough and chewing on it thoughtfully. It was stillfresh and warm.Yamato laughed.

"I guess it was rude of me not to offer you food last night." He said, and Naruto shook his head.

"There were probably more important things for you and Sasuke to worry over."

Yamato stood up and ran his hand against the cool metal sheaths of firearm equipment that decorated the wall beside him. His expression was loose and informal and he turned to the blonde with a fast swivel, playing withhis words slyly

"Have you ever used a gun before, Naruto?"

This caught Naruto of guard and he paused in his chewing. He glanced up and felt his lips purse, uneasy about the question. He answered curtly.

"No."

Yamato grinned, half expecting the answer before revealing a small black automatic weapon from a drawer behind him. It had been carefully wrapped in a red-checkered cloth and he seemed to be admiring it through his darkened frames. After a brief hesitation he tossed it to Naruto who dropped his remaining bread in order to catch it.

"What—that's dangerous!" The gun fumbled between Naruto's hands before he finally managed a decent grip. He glared at his elder.

"Relax. It's not even loaded."

Naruto felt his breathing slow, the anxiety built from the random action beginning to fade. After placing his bread on the table before him he examined the smooth surface of the hardware, letting his fingers ride the polished edges, circling the grip in interest. He let his forefinger travel the trigger and glanced up to Yamato.

"This looks like a forty-five." He noted, and the older man gave an affirmative motion.

"I thought you had never shot one," he commented.

"That doesn't mean I haven't seen one." Naruto let the cool metal tease his skin a minute longer before placing the weapon on the table next to his meal. He picked up a strawberry and ate its bulk.

"To be honest, that gun's an antique. Nowadays it's difficult to find manuals…even on the black market."

The blonde nodded lightly and chewed off a section of bread, dabbing it in a concoction that tasted similar to margarine. He licked a few crumbs from his lips and picked up the gun again, examining it loosely.

"I bet it's worth a lot then." Naruto thought the fact was amusing simply because it looked like a normal handgun. The fact that Yamato said most weapons were automatic intimidated him and he wondered why technology had taken such a dramatic turn.

"I want you to keep it."

Naruto peered up, his eyebrows drawing inward in confusion. "What?"

"I'm going to teach you how to fire, and then I want you to keep it."

Naruto coughed and let out an estranged laugh. "Uh, that's nice and all, but I don't think I'm the gun toting type."

Yamato held out his hand, indicating forNaruto to take it. Naruto did after a moment's hesitation.

"Come on. You'll change your mind."

Naruto grabbed the last section of bread in his free hand and followed Yamato through a set of double doors, gaping as he entered what seemed to be an indoorshooting range. It was painted in bright colors and the back wall was lined with bottles and trinkets meant to be targets. He swallowed his last portion of bread and stepped forward, clutching the shiny weapon to his stomach.

"This is weird." He managed, wondering why the room appeared so used. When Sasuke had hinted at illegal activity, he hadn't been lying.

"You don't have shooting halls?" Yamato questioned and Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, we have shooting ranges. But I'm not one for weapons, remember?"

Yamato grabbed the tool from Naruto's hands and cracked the cartridge case back, dropping a few casings into the exposed slot. After they clicked forward he snapped the lift downward and back into place.

"Take a shot." He prompted, handing the weapon back to Naruto. The blonde eyed it with skepticism and bit his lip, raising an eyebrow as he reproachfully accepted it. He glanced up towards the array of targets.

"Aren't you supposed to wear ear plugs and goggles and stuff?" He said, and Yamato clicked his tongue.

"You're a fusspot, you know that?"

"A what?" Naruto glared.

"You worry too much. Loosen up and relax. That gun may be an antique, but it was meant to be fired. You won't go deaf, and as long as you're aiming that way—" he pointed to confirm his point, "you won't go blind."

Naruto wasn't convinced, but he was positive that he wasn't going to escape Yamato's training until he gave in and fired the manual.

The cool metal glided across his palm with ease as he slid his hand into position, gripping the hold tightly and raising his arm to create a sort of line of focus to his target. He chose a brown bottle, most likely of liquor, and straightened his figure.

"Stand up straight now—and focus. You and your target…" Yamato was easing him into the action from behind and Naruto felt his attention span narrowing towards the rusting neck of glass. He pursed his lip and allowed his left hand to meet his right, this time supporting the grip with a more solid force and prepared himself for the blow.

Naruto had never shot a gun before, but he had watched Men in Black enough times to recognize that the momentum of the bullet came with a price. As he slid the trigger back, his focus solely on the decaying bottle, he felt the inside of the gun spark and the rim ignite. A bullet released itself and disappeared from sight vanishing with an amazing amount of speed. Naruto stumbled backwards at the force and caught himself against a wall, his head lifting as he heard a piercing shatter.

The brown and rusting bottle no longer stood erect. It fell in pieces to the cement grounding as the resounding crack of the shot echoed in the room. Naruto gaped.

A small round of applause erupted from beside him and Yamato looked amused.

"I always love discovering naturals." The older man let out a devious laugh and eyed Naruto.

"I had a feeling though."

Naruto ignored the comment and handed the gun back to Yamato, shaking his head in the process.

"No offense. I can't rely on a gun. I'd rather trust my intelligence." His hand stung from the shot and he ignored it, eyeing Yamato sternly. He didn't want a gun. He didn't want a weapon. He didn't have any intention of killing anyone.

Yamato looked vaguely surprised, as if he had expected Naruto to be excited from his achievement. His expression dimmed and he pushed the weapon against the blonde boy's chest.

"Keep it. Whether you plan on using it or not. Intelligence is a broad term, kiddo. A gun against Subaku is the smart choice."

Naruto was about to give the weapon back when Yamato paced out of the room, leading back to the original hangar they had spoke in. Naruto followed casually and the older man smirked.

"There will be a time where you'll want my help," he stated, and he held the door open in order for Naruto to exit, "and when you're ready for it, you know where to find me."

Naruto raised and eyebrow and turned around only to be met by a closed oak door. He blinked and looked around, confused by the awkward dismissal. He heard a rush of giggles and turned to the side, witnessing a group of young men coming his way, and he glanced down at his gun, fumbling with it in an attempt to hide it.

The men passed and he grinned somewhat convincingly, jogging forward as they eyed him in an attempt to retrace his steps to his room. By the feel of it, it was already passed midday, maybe even nearing evening and he wondered where Sasuke was and what the raven would say about his new accessory. He doubted he would be pleased.

Actually, Naruto wondered if he even wanted to tell him.

It was obvious that Sasuke had a lot on his plate, and that for some reason he was taking on most all of Naruto's problems as his own. While the blonde appreciated his kindness, he didn't want to add more worries to the Uchiha's mind.

He frowned as he relocated the dance floor, now beginning to gather a larger crowd. He scanned the area hoping to recognize the hall he had come from, and while his vision surfed the room he spotted Sasuke at the bar, seated next to a discerning figure. He stepped forward, the urge to approach his friend overwhelming him but paused as the raven's hand brushed the cheek of the stranger. It was a delicate action and one that made Naruto stop in his tracks.

He wasn't surprised, he concluded. Sasuke had said that he was gathering information. It was interesting how it affected him though, and he turned away, tracing his steps back to room 1016. He didn't want to interfere. Especially because there was no reason for it. Sasuke was his own person and had a right to his own actions.

No matter how much it bothered him.

He sifted past a few bystanders, ignoring their looks of interest as he attempted to make hide the gun in the upper hem of his jeans. He mentally cursed, feeling like a child trying to hide a stolen toy in a supermarket.

He finally rounded the corner to his hallway and paused, the same boy from the night before in front of him.

"Well, hello there kitten."

Naruto sighed.

"Hello and goodbye."

He edged past the boy and trudged towards his room, not surprised when the stranger became relentless.

"You look nervous." Sai commented, and Naruto glared as he clicked open his door, hoping that the gun in his jeans wasn't bulging from beneath his shirt.

"Are you nervous because of your gun?"

Naruto blinked and frowned. He was starting to despise overly perceptive people. The stranger smiled, fully aware that his assumption was correct. He slipped past Naruto and into his room, much to Naruto's disdain.

"Excuse me—" Naruto began and he entered quickly, slightly concerned when he heard the door lock behind him. Sai was wandering forward towards his bed and Naruto peeled the gun from his jeans. "You can't just walk into peoples' rooms—"

"You don't have any luggage." The boy noted, and Naruto was beginning to get irritated. The Asian boy was examining the room, though for an outsider it would appear as if he were admiring it. His expression was soft and his eyes were low, sending a small air of caution to Naruto.

"No, I don't."

"Meaning your visit here wasn't planned." Sai said. "Or maybe you just came for some fun?"

The blonde glared. "No."

"No it wasn't planned?" Sai asked. He weaved backwards towards Naruto and placed a gentle hand on the blonde's cheek, bringing their faces close with the action. Naruto stepped backwards out of his reach.

"You're welcome to leave now." Naruto said, refusing to play the boy's game. He was about to set the gun on the bedside table when he contemplated the dangers of the stranger in his room. He didn't feel scared or anxious, just annoyed. He set the weapon down and sat on his bed, eyeing the black haired boy with narrow eyes.

"Were you waiting for the Uchiha yesterday? Because today…it doesn't seem like he was thinking about you much at all."

Naruto felt his voice come out hoarsely though he wasn't entirely sure why.

"He and I are friends."

Sai stood above Naruto and leaned forward, playfully smirking while he allowed their eyes to make contact. He pushed himself forward and rested his forehead against Naruto's, blinking mischievously.

"I can take your mind off him."

Naruto glared and placed a hand on the thin boy's chest, pushing him back. He laughed and knelt backwards, breaking the contact between them.

"You're a stubborn one." His eyes drifted towards the slick black forty-five and he picked it up, examining it with curiosity.

"This is an old one," he said and Naruto reached up to grab it.

"Give it back."

The stranger lifted it higher and out of reach, still examining it before glancing down.

"Sai, give it back." Naruto took on a stern expression and the boy smiled.

"I like it when you say my name."

Naruto growled and jumped upwards, pushing Sai backwards on accident. They both tumbled to the floor and Sai held the gun upright, making sure it wouldn't fire. In an attempt to retrieve the weapon, Naruto pulled his chest acrosss the other boy's, pulling his leg in against the innermost part of Sai's thigh. Sai let out a low groan. Naruto glared down at him and leaned forward, plucking the gun from his hands.

"You really annoy me—"

The door to the room opened and Naruto averted his attention, suddenly aware of how bad the situation looked. It looked like he was arguing over a weapon—and in his current situation, that wasn't a good sight. Especially for Sasuke Uchiha.

"This isn't what it looks like," Naruto promised and he stumbled upwards off the thin boy, pulling him to his feet afterwards. Sasuke only stared, and Sai grinned.

"Hello Mr. Uchiha."

Sasuke moved out of the path of the door, clearing an exit for the strange new character, all while staring lividly at the blonde. Naruto set the gun on the bedside table and frowned, feeling a wave of anxiety overcome him. It was obvious that Sasuke was angry, but over what he didn't know. He had told him it was a mistake—why didn't he just trust him?

"Leave, please."

Sai drifted forward towards the door, lifting his hands above his head and resting them behind his neck.

"All work and no play makes Sasuke a dull boy…" He sang, and then he turned to face the Uchiha, staring with a very serious expression that Naruto didn't recognize. "And it also makes Naru-chan lonely."

As quickly as the expression had come it faded and Sai grinned, disappearing through the thick frame of the door. A click signaled that he and Sasuke were alone and Naruto sat down on his bed.

"He's strange." Naruto wasn't sure what else to say. Sasuke still appeared livid.

"Why do you have a gun?"

Naruto glanced over to it and inwardly shrugged. Too late to keep it a secret.

"Yamato gave it to me."

"Give it back."

Naruto snorted, beginning to feel irritated. Sasuke was going into dominant mode again, and Naruto wasn't in the mood for it.

"I tried."

There was a pause before Sasuke stepped forward, pulling Naruto up from the bed.

"I told you to stay out of trouble."

Naruto put his hands against Sasuke's chest and pushed backwards trying to get him to release his firm grip. Sasuke obliged, albeit reluctantly.

"I did. I stayed with Yamato. What did you want me to do—stay here all day?"

Sasuke growled. "That would have been logical!"

Naruto felt his eyes narrow. "What are you so mad about?"

Sasuke released him and turned around, pacing towards the rear of the bed.

"You complain the entire way here—and now that we finally arrive you're shooting up shit and fucking around with the nearest animal on two legs."

Naruto stepped forward. "Whoa, whoa. What are you talking about? Sai? He's just…_around_ all the time…"

"You know his _name_?" This seemed to take Sasuke over the edge and he bolted forward, pushing Naruto backwards onto the bed. Naruto struggled to push upward but the other boy's grip was strong.

"You have no idea how much I worried about you—" he began, and Naruto interrupted.

"Why are you so angry?" Naruto said quickly, repeating his question from before. It was odd that Sasuke was so emotional. Sure he was prone to times of stern power, but that was normal—it came with the Uchiha name. But this time—Sasuke was too angry. There had to be something more.

"I'm angry because you do stupid shit without thinking about it—"

"That's it." Naruto growled and pushed upwards, flipping Sasuke over and reversing their position. He pushed downward on the older boy and glared.

"Really Sasuke? _Really_? This is about me?"

Sasuke looked surprised at Naruto's sudden change in demeanor and he quieted. Naruto ranted.

"I haven't done anything wrong. I got here and I mingled. You sure as hell weren't lounging around in solitude—so why am I a different story? Why can't I talk to people?"

Sasuke seemed to have calmed down and he looked away, not able to make eye contact with Naruto. He was breathing deeply.

"I don't want anything to happen to you." He said quietly.

Naruto paused and then spoke. "Well, things are going to happen. You can't stop them."

Sasuke glared upward, batting his eyes with and intense motion.

"You don't understand, Naruto. Places like this are dangerous."

Naruto loosened his grip and sat upwards, releasing some of his weight from the other boy.

"I'm not a child, Sasuke."

Sasuke breathed in deeply, surprised at how heavy Naruto was on top of him. He frowned. "You need someone to protect you, though."

Naruto leaned down, pulling the majority of his weight to his knees as he lowered his face towards Sasuke's. He scowled.

"When will you see me as an adult? As Naruto Uzumaki and not the 'boy from the past'?" Naruto knelt lower, his voice barely a whisper. "What will it take?"

Naruto brushed his lips across Sasuke's, letting his breath dance nervously across the other boy's pale flesh. He breathed long and hard, feeling his mind calm and his stomach tense, aching for something he couldn't quite name. Sasuke was staring at him with an expression he had never seen before, and he immediately pushed himself up and off of Sasuke, scrambling to his feet. He shook his head and changed the subject.

"Anyways, you never answered my question. Why are you so angry? It can't be about Yamato and Sai."

Sasuke pulled himself forward and frowned; fully aware of the uncomfortable situation Naruto had placed himself in. He decided not to push it, even though his heart was pounding against his chest in response to the blonde's moves.

"Subaku has some spies here. I thought they had found you."

Naruto nodded and scratched his temple. "I'll be more careful."

Sasuke looked up, his expression stern. "Naruto, I—"

"So this is where you two have been!"

Yamato sauntered in, his glasses brimming. The door squealed shut.

"I've been looking everywhere for you…"

Sasuke perked and Naruto looked away.

"Kakashi is here."

* * *

Hurray for SasuNaru moments! Or was it NaruSasu? Meh. 

I feel like I need to leave a note but I'm not feeling too well. I'll leave a nice long one on sunday...

But for the need to comment on the newest manga chapter--If you don't review, I may tickle you with a feather.

::snickers:: Jiraiya is awesome.


	29. Thinking Ahead

**Misery Business:**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for the awe-inspiring 28 reviews! Hurrah.

* * *

**Chapter 29: Thinking Ahead**

Kakashi was an interesting individual. He was a tall and muscular man with graying hair—an interesting fact considering that it was apparent that he couldn't have been older than thirty. He wore dark leather clothes that clung to his figure like a second layer of skin and matching a black leather eye patch that rested over his left eye.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he was introduced to theman, scrutinizing the bored expression thatrestedhaphazardly on the stranger'sface. Kakashi only nodded in recognition of his presence before dismissing him, his attention turning to the other two figures in the room.

Naruto had never been one to judge a book by its cover, so he politely acknowledged the taller man and shuffled into the familiar tea-room. He noticed that Sasuke had not made an effort to sit at the low traditional table and so he followed insuit, waiting for Yamato to close and lock the door after the entire collection of people had entered the small room.

As Kakashi lowered himself to the table everyone seemed to follow and Naruto took in the action as a form of respect.It was ironic, in a way, considering Kakashi's chosen profession, but Naruto decided to add it to the list of everything he didn't quite understand. As soon as everyone seemed settled, Sasuke spoke.

"Did you manage to locate Jiraiya?" His voice was a monotone drawl, as if he expected the assassin to answer differently than what they all knew was the truth. Kakashi smirked and scratched the leather patch over his eye.

"Of course," he responded, vision sifting to Naruto, " and he was very interested to hear about this little runt's adventure."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and grunted. "You don't know me well enough to insult me."

"Ah," The older man seemed to agree. "But I know _of_you and that gives me privilege enough."

Naruto tightened a fist under the table. He had come to a conclusion. He didn't like this Kakashi fellow—not one bit. Sasuke decided to dilute the situation.

"Where is he?"

Kakashi leaned forward and breathed in deeply, running his finger from his patch to the pout of his lower lip, glancing upwards absent-mindedly. He appeared to be sidetracked and before Naruto had a chance to comment, Yamato's voice descended.

"Eavesdropping on this particular conversation could turn out quite deadly, Sai."

Naruto let his eyebrows tug in confusion and lifted his head upwards when he heard a shuffle. From the lofted beams that supported the roof came the lean boy, swooping down like a great falcon making a kill. He landed upright, his feet perfectly stabilized on the carpeted flooring, smiling so brightly that it made Naruto blink twice.

"Ah. You found me." The boy stood perfectly still and Kakashi tilted his head backwards in order to see him clearly with his unshielded eye. Yamato stood with his arms crossed, leaning back against a wall looking irritated. When Naruto glanced at Sasuke he noticed that he appeared as calm as the others, only there was a swirl of pooling anger that reflected from his onyxvision.

"A friend of yours?" Kakashi questioned, his tone thin and airy. Yamato pushed himself from the wall by the platforms of his foot and approached the table wearily.

"A student." he remarked and then turned to the boy. "Why are you here, Sai?"

The boy's smile dimmed and he pushed his hands into the buckle loops of his leather pants, the action revealing more of the pale flesh of his abdomen. He threw his head back slightly in a casual manner.

"Subaku's been called back to Fang." His facial expression was cheery.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed in disbelief and Yamato pursed his lips.

"And where did you hear this interesting fact?" Kakashi's words had a strange way of sounding final and Naruto was sure that Sai heard the doubt creasing them.

"Well, it's an interesting story. I was making a sell to Sasori when—"

"He's telling the truth. I heard it all the same." All eyes found Sasuke and the raven continued, ignorant of the irritated glare he was receiving from the other Asian youth.

"But even though he has returned, others have been sent in his place."

"Scouts, no doubt." Said Kakashi, and he licked his lips.

Yamato spoke up as he sat down at the table. "Sasori is back?" He peered up to Sai to confirm.

"Ah. He ran into Kankuro and Temari. It caused quite a commotion from what I've been told."

Sasuke cleared his throat and everyone glanced to him. "Why is this child here?" It was obvious that he was referring to Sai, and Naruto felt the hairs on his arms stand on end at the tension that gathered afterwards

Yamato poured himself a glass of water from a sitting pitcher and narrowed his eyes at Kakashi before opening his mouth to speak.

"There are few people I trust in this place, Uchiha. Sai is one of them." He paused for a moment. "I told him to keep an eye on you and Naruto."

Sasuke's expression dimmed even further and Naruto felt slightly put off as well. Kakashi, sensing the awkward strain, decided to intervene.

"There are few people I trust, Sasuke, and Yamato is one of them. If he has faith in Sai, I will follow his intuition."

Sasuke snorted in dismissal. "I see. Where is Jiraiya?"

Even Naruto noticed his irritation as the raven-haired man changed subjects. Kakashi nodded as if he had forgotten and motioned for Sai to sit down, which he did not do.

"Rumor has it that he is in the east love district. He frequents an in named Club Chique, and shouldn't be too hard to find."

Naruto spoke for the first time in the meeting, drawing attention from the gray-haired hired man.

"Jiraiya isn't stupid enough to be easily found. What's the catch?"

Kakashi laughed. "Ho ho! I was beginning to think you had gone mute."

Naruto glared and Kakashi continued. "I said he would be easy to find, not easy to approach."

Naruto ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes. He knew that there would be complications. He spoke again.

"'Club Chick'? Like with women?"

Both Yamato and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at Naruto's comment and Sai spoke.

"Naruto is very smart, indeed."

Yamato poured himself another glass of water. "Few people know that fact. You know, due to the lack of women…it would be problematic if the government found out about it."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "It has the word 'chick' in the title…that's kind of a giveaway, isn't it?"

This earned him a few confused glances and he shook his head, not having the drive to elaborate. Deciding it was fairly unimportant, Kakashi leaned forward and snagged a sugar cube from a bowl on the table, plopping it into his mouth in a quick motion.

"I would leave as soon as possible. Since word of his whereabouts has come this far, he probably won't be staying there for long."

Sasuke nodded, running a hand through his smooth hair. "Will you be coming with us?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No. I'm going to try and find the Hyuuga."

Naruto glanced upwards and leaned in over the table. "Find who? Neji? Why?"

Sasuke placed a firm hand on his shoulder and reeled him back, his eyes apologizing to Kakashi for the blonde's outspoken nature.

"Did something happen with Neji?" He reworded.

The gray-haired hit man nodded, pulling his legs into an Indian style crouch.

"I heard from Iruka that he escaped from Double Asecurity at the government detention center."

"Escaped?" Sasuke inquired and Kakashi managed a nod. Yamato groaned.

"It looks like this situation's getting complicated, eh?"

There was a long pause until a voice pierced it, and the group was surprised to find that it was Naruto's.

"Look, I don't know much about your judicial system, but that would take an effort, right? Even breaking out of prison in my time would be a challenge."

Yamato nodded and Sai ventured a comment. "Nearly impossible."

There was another throe of silence, as the group sat in deep thought. Sai shifted positions uneasily, his normally narrowed eyes growing dim in concentration. Yamato sipped his water thoughtfully before smirking.

"I think we're ignoring a very important detail." He shifted positions. "Double A security is for serious crimes—murders and such. Neji could have only been apprehended under the suspicion of withholding information."

"I haven't heard anything from the precinct." Sai commented. After Naruto glanced at him with questioning eyes he said, "My customers are quite the variety."

"What does all of this mean?" Naruto asked and Sasuke leaned forward over the table, resting his chin on his hands. His eyes became very serious and he breathed deeply.

"Sounds like a conspiracy."

"What?"

Kakashi leaned forward as if to explain it more properly. "Hyuuga was jailed for a minor crime in a high level security prison before even a trial took place—I'm sure his captain wouldn't take kindly to that."

"Captain Morino." Yamato seemed thoughtful and Kakashi nodded.

"Not even I would want to cross Morino. Hyuuga wouldn't escape unless he was guilty of something greater—"

"Or unless Morino told him to." Yamato finished.

"And Neji's the paper-pushing type," added Sasuke. "He's a goody-goody. Most likely it's the latter."

Naruto sat back and frowned. He didn't even want to know why all of this madness was centered onhim. In all honesty, it still didn't make complete sense to him. He bit his lip.

A feeling of paranoia overcame Naruto and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He peered up to find Kakashi staring at him with a disturbingly vacant glare and he narrowed his eyes in return.

"What?" He asked.

Kakashi licked his lips. "I'm just wondering why someone like you is causing such a ruckus."

Naruto felt the hidden implication and frowned. "I've told Sasuke everything that I know. Whatever's going on here, I'm in the dark as much as you."

His words were fast and vapid and he felt Sasuke lean forward from beside him.

"I trust him." Sasuke's words were unusually effective, bringing a surprised look from the gray-haired assassin and a more disturbing frown from Yamato. There was a pause and Sai shifted.

"Someone's coming." He noted. A moment later there was a knock on the door. Yamato bit his lip, the intrusion obviously unwelcome, before he sifted towards the door and creaked it open just enough to view the outside source.

"Can I help you?"

A dark voice met his and Sasuke leaned closer to Naruto, almost protectively. In an odd coincidence, Sai seemed to move towards him as well, his eyes narrowed at the door.

"Sir, I'm sorry to intrude. There are some men here, sir. They look like junkies…but we think they may be feds."

"Shit." Yamato cursed. He nodded off the man and closed the door, biting his lip with an acute nervousness.

"Looks like our time is up." Kakashi stated and he stood up from the table, stretching warily. Sasuke stood up quickly and Naruto followed, anxiety chewing at him. He felt strangely like a fugitive now, always running from dangers he didn't know.

"This way," Yamato motioned, leading them all to a back door in the room. It opened to a set of three doors to which Yamato shoes the far right. When it opened there was a long hallway.

"Sai, get them to Chique safely. I'll handle things around here."

"You sure about that?" Kakashi ventured, and Yamato laughed.

"You underestimate my clientele, my friend." To this Kakashi smirked.

Sai had already begun walking and Sasuke proceeded to follow, though his stance gave away that he was reluctant to do so. Kakashi had shifted to move forward as well, but Naruto turned back towards the strange older man.

"Thank you." He said, and Yamato seemed to remember something.

He sent his hand behind his back and pulled forward an object, one Naruto absently noted was the revolver. He handed it to him firmly.

"I know it intimidates you, but you need to take it."

Naruto nodded, deciding that it was in his best interests to follow the man's advice. From down the hall, Sasuke called for him.

"Thank you." Naruto nodded and jogged forward to catch up to his companions, tucking the weapon into the waistband of his jeans.

* * *

There were few times when Neji felt on his toes. 

Now was one of those times.

Neji gripped his jacket tight against his waist, mentally complaining about the rain that doused his figure so flippantly. His hair, though pulled back into a braid, had begun to matt itself against the frame of his face. He could hear his suede shoes gurgling as he crept through deep rivulets of water that occupied the alley and he narrowed his eyes as he approached a street.

Placing a steady hand against the brick wall beside him he peered out, licking a few drops of rain from his lips as he scannedfor oncoming vehicles. The familiar whoosh of an astro vehicle sounded in the distance and he carefully slid into the shadows as he recognized the familiar gating on the hood, symbolizing a precinct. He clenched his fists and thought to himself.

_There is no way for me to get out of here on foot. _

He knelt down after the car had passed, pulling himself underneath a crooked shutter to block some of the downpour from drenching him even more than he already was. He rubbed his hands together to spark some warmth and let his mind wander.

He needed to get out of town. At least until he heard something from Morino. The fastest way would be to hijack a vehicle, and while that idea didn't sit too highly on his list of activities, he was more apt to act than risk being caught—again.

He shuffled towards the break into the street and waited, watching as a few vehicles passed before spotting his potential. It was a dark car and slightly damaged on one side, moving slow against the rain.

Probably an older person, Neji concluded, and he pulled himself upward, readying himself for the jump. The car sifted by him and he dodged out, sliding gracefully across the slick concrete, driving his hand under the handle like it was any normal occasion.

The door opened and he prepared to use force, only to stop at the figure inside.

"About time I found you. Where onearth have you been?"

Chouji motioned for Neji to get into the back of the car—a suggestion that he followed. After he was inside, he shivered, adjusting to the balance of air that his intern had circulating inside. The car began shortly after and Neji glanced out ofthe windows, making sure no one had seen him. From his point of view, everything looked fine.

"Genma told me you escaped. I've been searching for you ever since."

Chouji turned onto a fairly empty highway, one only used for people going to the outskirts of residential areas. Neji sat back against hi seat and shrugged off his jacket, wincing as he realized how much water he had leaked onto Chouji's nice leather seats.

"Is that so" He commented absently, resting his head against the headrest of the seat. He closed his eyes momentarily, silently thanking the gods that someone he trusted had managed to find him.

"Naruto and Sasuke left to go find Jiraiya so we don't need to worry about them—for now, at least."

Neji perked an ear. "They what?"

Chouji repeated himself and continued forward, matching the speed limit of other drivers as he merged onto the main highway. Neji shook his head.

"Though that frustrates me, it was probably for the best. Where are we going?"

Chouji shifted and turned back to him. "To be honest, I'm not sure. Shikamaru gave me this address. He said it was someplace safe—a place Sasuke told him to go if anything went wrong."

Neji nodded and cleared his throat. "Can you add more heat?"

Chouji jumped into action, pressing a few buttons on his dashboard to adjust the temperature of the car.

"I hope you don't get a cold, running around in the rain like that."

There was a long pause and Neji was still, examining the situation with hesitation. It was strange that Chouji had been right where he needed him, but in all honesty, Chouji was one of the few people he trusted.

"I'm glad you found me." He said, and he glanced ahead through the front window, noticing that they were approaching a toll way. Chouji cursed.

"Can you duck? I don't know if they've put a warrant out for you or not."

Neji felt irritated, mostly because he had never scrambled around on the floor of a vehicle before in his life. He shoved himself in between the back of Chouji's chair and the foot space of his original seat, pulling his legs close to his chest as he sat against the door frame.

The car slowed into a drive-in space and Neji held his breath, hoping for no hold ups. His best plan of action would be to escape to Sasuke's safe haven and then attempt to contact Morino. But it was necessary he made it out of the city.

From the front seat, Chouji spoke.

"No ma'am. It's just me. I'm going to visit my grandma, you see…she's been ill for quite some time."

Chouji was one of those people whose lies were completely convincing. He was such a kind younger boy that everything he concocted sounded natural and sympathetic. It was traits like these that made Neji grateful that he had encountered him, even though he knew that he and Chouji had never been extremely close.

It had been nearly a year ago when he had handpicked the boy to be his intern for the Hyuuga enterprise, under the assumption that his personality and physical traits would keep him completely unaware of his dual life as an officer. Chouji had seemed like a shy boy with a slow mind and average education. It had been a surprise though, when Chouji had confronted him very seriously about Naruto Uzumaki, trusting him with all of the information he knew, courtesy of a close friend of his that just happened to be a rather talented guard under his rival Uchiha.

The whole situation had seemed surreal to him.

An unknown traveler related to Sakura Haruno? It was suspicious, and not in a way that he wanted to let slide. So he agreed to take the blonde on as a second intern—a position where he could monitor him more clearly to discover his motives.

In the beginning, he had planned on arresting the blonde-haired boy, but there was something that Chouji had said that had stopped him.

Even now, the boy's words sang anthems in his head.

"_There are people in your life you just know you can trust," Chouji had lifted his head and grinned lightly, all while chewing on a small piece of ham sandwich. "And just like I knew I could trust you, I know I can trust him."_

An ordinary person had never said anything of that nature to him before and it had made him feel slightly more at ease with the situation. Because, in all actuality, Chouji had become someone that he could trust as well.

Neji lifted his head as Chouji continued to speak with the tenant.

"I promise I'll be careful ma'am. I'll give her your blessing."

There was a pause where Chouji handed a credit card to the lady and as soon as it returned to Chouji's hand the vehicle was on its way, speeding down a two-lane highway with exaggerated force.

Neji began to pull himself up but Chouji made a movement that halted him.

"The tenant said that there would be some federal agents out. It may be best if you hunker down there for a while."

Neji settled back down, shaking his head in a passive manner. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"Thank you, Chouji."

The chubby intern laughed merrily and commented. "You're welcome, I suppose. It's what friends are for, right?"

Neji almost smiled. "I mean, if it weren't for you I would have never gotten the internship…and because of it I have a better chance of getting my masters."

Neji suddenly felt guilty as his intensions had never been honest. Chouji seemed to have sensed the tension because he spoke.

"I know you chose me because you thought I was an idiot. But hey, I never knew a thing so I can't argue with you. I guess the point is, "Chouji tilted the car leftwards, "I should be thanking you too."

Neji sat for a moment and undid his hair, running his hands through it in an attempt to detangle the knots. When he spoke, his voice sounded foreign.

"Did I ever tell you…that Naruto isn't the first unregistered traveler that I've helped?"

From the front of the car, Chouji's voice sounded disbelieving. "No."

Neji rang out his hair, ignoring the small puddle that formed beneath his drying figure and rested his head on the seat next to him.

His voice was thoughtful as he spoke.

"I was on a drug bust assignment…"

He felt his mind reel with the memory.

"_I've never seen a boy so pretty before." The man said, and Neji swept his hair behind his shoulder, ignoring the distasteful remark. His gun was balanced delicately on his hand, perfectly aimed for the syndicate's head. If he moved his finger even slightly he could get the man between the eyes—but he wasn't sure if he wanted to allow he killer such a painless way out of life. The battered and bloody woman on the floor wasn't helping him decide and faster, and he couldn't help but wonder where his partner had disappeared to._

_Pulling the trigger out of familiarity he watched as the men fell over in a pitiful slump, blood drooling from his mouth in an uncharacteristic way. It wasn't normal for the leaders __to__be taken out so easily, but on __occasions__ where they were, he hardly felt the desire to argue. _

_He turned away from the mob boss and knelt down to the woman, a pretty young thing, __only a little older than himself and checked her pulse. _

_Alive, but her heartbeat was slow. The black and blue markings around her stomach implied internal bleeding and Neji hesitated, not sure what to say to the dying figure. He had lost his receiver at the moment of infiltration and with Anko missing in action, there was no possible way to get a medical vehicle in time. _

_He swept a few matted bangs from her face and eyed her solemnly, never good with these types of situations. She was mumbling to herself, last words of desperation before gargling on her own upheaval of blood, eyeing him—but not, because her eyes were glossy with dissipation. _

_"Get her…She's here…" Neji wondered vacantly what memory she could be reliving; as he had seen many victims fade in the same routine way. They always remembered some random piece of their past and repeated it as if it had all of the relevance in the world, and he always stared vacantly, emotions drained. _

_But this time was different. She reached up and grabbed him, a string of blood running from her mouth, and stared at him from blind eyes. She gasped heavily._

_"The closet! Check it…"_

_Her hand left his side and seemed to point to the back hallway of the small studio apartment, behind a series of drug doers and dealers that had been slaughtered upon entry. After her last painful exertion of breath the woman fell silent, and Neji stood up, the smell of blood and drugs mixing to create and scent that irritated his nostrils. _

_He glanced at his watch. _

Anko should be getting here soon.

_He peered over to the direction where the woman was pointing and looked at his watch again, deciding to play on his curiosity during his wait. He stepped over the corpses of businessmen and street folk alike before locating the closet, his practiced ears picking up movement from inside. He stared in disbelief, hardly willing to believe that there was someone inside the closet. He narrowed his eyes and forced it open…_

"And that's when I found her."

There was a pause from Chouji. "And then?"

Neji pulled his head up from the seat and blinked, as if he had forgotten. After a moment he answered, his voice lower than before.

"I didn't kill everyone in that bust. You never do. The younger ones can be used as sources in the future…"

He paused.

"She was a mess. I had never seen a girl like her before. Even though she was beaten up pretty badly, she was really feisty. I told one of the kids, one of our sources, to take her and get out."

"How did you know she was illegal?"

Neji contemplated. "I don't know. I guess I just did. She said that her name was TenTen. That's not a normal name."

Chouji nodded from the front of the car, and Neji added more to his story.

"I haven't seen her since then. I get letters sometimes though…"

Chouji laughed. "Maybe she loves you."

Neji snorted. "That's ridiculous. She knows that it's impossible."

Chouji was quiet for a moment.

"What brought up this topic?" He asked, and Neji shrugged against the seat.

"I don't know. I guess Naruto just reminded me of her."

"Ah."

Neji continued, ignoring the fact that he was being unusually talkative.

"He's someone I _can_ protect."

Chouji shifted and laughed nervously, turning the car rightward with the twisted sky way. A peak of light was showing through the clouds, signaling sunrise, and he cleared his throat.

"I hate to break it to you, but it seems like Uchiha's already taken that task on himself."

Neji nodded and settled his hands in his arms, the urge to sleep overwhelming his senses. He closed his eyes.

"Perhaps." He said, and Chouji grew silent. Whether or not he responded, Neji did not know, for he fell into a deep and uncomfortable sleep.

* * *

A/N--> Not the most exctiting, but I've got to start putting out information. To be honest, I really think this was the most difficult chapter for me to write...I can sense it too, even when I re-read it. But, eh, what are you gonna do? 

Well, I do have some important update information. I will not be updating until **Tuesday the18th.** I have finals this week and I'm moving into my new apartment on Saturday, so I'm pretty sure I will either not have internet, or be extremely hesitant on using it for fear of getting distracted from my projects. Sorry for the delay, but it must be done.

And joy, I have finished **chapter two** of my new fanfiction, which I will be posting as soon as I get about ten chapters out. You know me and writing ahead...but if you guys want, I could post a preview or something to get the excitement flowing! I'm excited, anywho.

Let me know, though, and I'll do what I can.

Ah, and one critical comment. A few of you said that my last chapter was short, which made me raise an eyebrow. It was something like 11 word pages long AND I update twice a week. Patience is a virtue my friends, and trust me--I could be one of those author's who writes two mouse scrolls of writing and doesn't update for a year. Don't tempt me.

Ha. Just kidding. But really, play nice.

Love to you all, and I'll see you in about a week.


	30. Kiss the Girl

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Alright, an update as promised. My move went great and the new apartment is wonderful so thank you for all of the well-wishes. Unfortunately, a certain cable company that rhymes with Romcast screwed up my re-installation date and I am cable and internet-less until this saturday. So, needless to say, the next update won't be until Sunday. I had to hijack my parents computer to post this one...

Well, here's numero 30.

* * *

**Chapter 30: Kiss the Girl**

It wasn't long before Naruto was breathing hard, swallowing the rush of adrenaline that threatened to climbup his throat. His legs ached and his lungs burned as he twisted through a series of alleyways, ignoring the strange people that seemed to loiter in the darkness. Whether they were homeless or not, Naruto didn't know, but their stares were piercing and bright even through the heavy downpour.

Sasuke had pushed him forward several times, breaking his assessment of the lingering figures without delay, and there had been many occasions where Sai had turned around to check the status of their escape. Though he wore an enthusiastic smile, Naruto could sense his concentration and as much as he could, the blonde struggled to keep pace with the leading boy.

After the trio crept low under a gated apartment ladder, Sai settled into a sitting position and pulled his backpack into his lap. Naruto fell to his knees and began to catch his breath, letting the cool rain douse the heat of exertion that seeped out from his skin. From beside him, Sasuke fell into a crouch, breathing hard and glaring at Sai who was rummaging through his bag intently.

"Why have we stopped?" He asked, and Sai answered by revealing two thermos' of water. He tossed one to Sasuke and handed the other to Naruto, who took it quickly and willingly. Sasuke stared at the metal device suspiciously before taking it for himself, drinking a few large gulps before returning it to Sai.

"I think I'm really out of shape." Naruto coughed. He set down the thermos beside him and wiped rainwater from his eyes. From behind him, Sasuke pushed him forward, attempting to get closer to Sai. Naruto pulled himself into a sitting position allowing them all equal room. Sasuke spoke.

"Where are we?"

Sai rested his head against the brick mortar of the building behind them and licked his lips. He ran a hand through his hair and grinned—a smile that was unusually natural.

"East district, of course."

Sasuke glared at the somewhat indirect answer and placed a comforting hand on Naruto's thigh. "You alright?"

Naruto had finally managed to catch his breath and nodded in the affirmative, blinking as water escaped from his hair and fell downward. He licked a few drops of water from his lips and smiled confidently, giving Sasuke a thumbs up.

"I'm just peachy. Really though, Sai. How much farther?" The blonde turned his attention to his left and was surprised to find that the other boy was already standing up. Without a sound he had gotten to his feet, and Naruto felt a sudden chill. He was reminded of how Yamato referred to him as his student, and decided to ask later what exactly the old man had meant.

Sasuke pushed him forward and Naruto pulled himself to his feet, meeting Sai at the corner of the alleyway. There was a blue haze that seemed to engulf the city due to the rain, and a mist crept along the blacktop gravel of the street floors. Naruto could barely make out the other side of the street, and from in front of him Sai smiled.

"The weather is working to our advantage."

The leader of the small group walked forward, crossing the street as if they were ordinary citizens out for a late night stroll. Naruto placed his hands in his pockets, examining the street and its surroundings.

The area was commercial, with small convenient stores and restaurants lining the pavement—all of which seemed to be closed. There were several alleys at the length of the road, and from within, Naruto could almost see figures peeking out. He clicked his tongue.

"Why are there people hiding in the alleyways?" The words felt stupid to him, but he was curious. He had never seen the shadows of night lifers drifting so wearily through city inlets and it made him contemplate just where exactly they were.

Sasuke drifted up beside him and looped an arm through his, an action Naruto hadn't been expecting. It pulled him in closer, and Sasuke began to answer his question.

"These are illegal parts of town, Naruto. The people here don't take kindly to newcomers."

With his last word said Sasuke pulled Naruto in closer, and lifted his attention to Sai. "Hey. What are the codes around here?"

As they neared the entrance to another dark alley Sai paused and turned, his eyes wide and playful. "To think that Uchiha Sasuke knows about street codes. I'm sure your father would be proud."

Naruto wasn't sure what that comment meant, but at the feel of Sasuke's bristling he was sure it wasn't appropriate. Sai answered more seriously before Naruto could reply.

"I don't intend on loosing you so there's no need for you to know."

With that Sai turned around and disappeared into the darkness. Sasuke growled under his throat and pulled Naruto forward harshly.

"What are street codes?" Naruto inquired, and Sasuke answered with a low voice.

"Words that make you seem familiar to an area. So people are less likely to feel threatened by you, or worse, threaten you."

"Oh." Naruto shook his head. It sounded like a turf war, whatever it was. He peered ahead and saw the smooth contour of Sai's jacket losing itself in the darkness and he reached forward to grab it. Even if Sai had no intention of losing them, Naruto was willing to take the extra effort.

As Naruto tugged the material backwards Sai glanced back, his eyes curious for the action. Naruto lowered his eyes.

"You're going too fast."

Sai smirked and knelt down towards him, bringing their faces close. "You're welcome to hold _my_ hand if you'd like."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and Sasuke jerked him backwards, his long arm veiling Naruto protectively.The Uchiha glared and Sai smiled brightly, and action that was beginning to perturb Naruto.

"Don't lose us." Sasuke warned, and Sai's smile faded.

"You're very demanding, aren't you?"

There was a pause where Sasuke only intensified his gaze, furthering his battle for dominance in the situation. Sai smirked again and briefed a glance at Naruto.

"He must be the reason you prefer girls, right?"

Naruto felt himself flush though he wasn't entirely sure why. He felt Sasuke's demeanor darken.

Sai pushed forward into the darkness and Sasuke nearly yanked Naruto forward, and action that made Naruto feel as though he had been caught between an awkward rivalry. As lights and music began to sound he distanced the thought, eager to see what the forbidden districts had to offer.

Sai became more visible as neon lights began to plaster the area, visualizing the names of bars, restaurants and clubs that haunted a tiny avenue. It was like a miniature city within a city, with older men and younger men alike drifting from place to place, laughing and drinking.

Explicit pictures were plastered outside some of the bigger complexes, and Naruto often had to look away. Some of the material was too much for even his eyes, and sensing the discomfort, Sasuke addressed him.

"Don't worry, we're almost through the worst of it."

Naruto nodded and Sai ushered them up a cement stairwell leading to another line of businesses. At the top the Asian boy made a quick right, turning into a complex that seemed quieter then where they had been previously, and after Naruto read the advertising signs he realized that it was quite a bit more expensive.

Turning into a small store with a red awning, Sai turned to set some ground rules.

"First, we should rent out a room. Second, we should find some dry clothes. Third, we'll go hunting for Jiraiya. Agreed?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Who's paying for this room?"

Naruto chanced a glance at the price guide and realized why he was asking. One night was nearly an entire paycheck for him, and he was sure that even though Sasuke was wealthy he didn't want a love hotel staining his credit card record. Sai only smiled and knelt forward.

"The conditions of me paying would be slightly steep." Sai peered down at Naruto and winked, an action that caused Naruto to raise an eyebrow. Sasuke rolled his eyes and pushed past the self-proclaimed leader, weaving Naruto behind him to the entryway counter.

A tall and thin man greeted them, his hair slicked back with oil and his eyes an even brighter shade of blue than Naruto's. He seemed to run his eyes over Naruto with interest, but not before Sai stepped in front of his view.

"Ah, ah. This little one is our treat."

The man looked amused, and turned to Sasuke who handed him what appeared to be a credit card. Naruto wondered why it had Sasuke's picture on it and decided that it was a question best saved for another time.

The man swiped it and looked surprised before turning his face upwards.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" He queried, and Naruto felt the raven nod.

"And I'll be happy to compensate you to ensure that no one here knows that little fact." Sasuke was convincing.

The man nodded and handed back the small plastic card, moving back in a manner that ushered them all forward and into the hotel.

Sasuke's grip on his hand tightened as they entered and Naruto felt Sai push closer to him from behind. Whether or not the gesture was protective he didn't know, but he decided not to comment for fear of Sasuke growing even more hostile than he already seemed to be.

They were led up a narrow stairway to what appeared to be the first floor of rooms, and Naruto was surprised to find that the halls were simple and white. As the host led them down a long foyer, red doors came into view and they were admitted to one at the very end. Sasuke took the key from the gentleman and Sai smiled deviously as they all entered, leaving the man staring blankly in return.

Naruto gave the man a small smile before the door to the room clicked closed, and when he turned to the room he felt his stomach tighten.

There was one bed—a large bed, surrounded by expensive furniture and decorated almost intentionally with red pillows, blankets and rugs. A flat screen television was built into the wall and was playing some sort of futuristic music, and straight across from the entry was a bay window that overlooked a great deal of the city. Naruto stumbled forward and peered out, ignoring the sounds his shoes made as they squished across the floor. He sighed.

"What a nice view." He said softly, and from behind him, Sasuke tapped his shoulder.

"Here. Change before you get sick." His friend handed him a black shirt and navy green slacks. Naruto gave him a confused look.

"Where did these come from?"

Sai answered from the other side of the room. "The name Uchiha is so well known they gave him the most expensive suite here."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and peeled off his shirt, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Naruto.

And Sasuke was fit. It was an odd thought for Naruto, because he couldn't picture Sasuke as an athletic type of guy. But there he was, smooth abs rippling beneath a toned chest with long narrow arms brimming the pale highlights of his face and neck. A small concourse of water trickled down the gentle indents of his neckline, and Naruto felt a little too intrigued for his own liking.

A shuffle from the other side of the room drew his attention elsewhere and as he caught sight of Sai, buck naked and pleased, he whipped around to face the view again, clenching his eyes closed in a shy manner. He had never been this intimidated to change clothes in front of others before. Why did he feel so distracted?

He dropped the clothes to the floor and pulled a hand to the lower hem of his shirt, feeling relieved when he pulled the sticky fabric from his skin. He pulled it up over his head and let out a sigh, content when the lukewarm air of the room sifted across his stomach, drying the damp wetness left behind from the shirt. He knelt down to retrieve the black shirt Sasuke had handed him, only to feel an odd tingling sensation on the back of his neck. He turned his head to the rear and was surprised to see both Sasuke and Sai watching him somewhat preemptively.

"Um, _okay_ guys…" Naruto flushed and whipped back around, surprised to hear Sasuke chuckle from behind him.

"You're too easy to tease." He said.

Naruto shrugged the new shirt on and quickly changed his pants, avoiding anycontact with either of the two others in the room. He made sure that his gun fell with the clothing, and bundled them up together in an act of secrecy. When he was finished, he knelt over and ran his hands through his hair, shaking out all of the remaining water. Pulling himself back up, he grinned.

"So what is this place like?" He asked, hoping for pointers. Sasuke turned to Sai and the once the other boy pulled on a white tunic, he responded.

"Relaxed. Easy-going. A lot of smooth talking in the lobbies—until people migrate to their rooms."

Naruto nodded. "Easy enough. What's the plan?"

Sai seemed to grow quiet at this question and Sasuke took the lead.

"When we find Jiraiya, it needs to be you that approaches him. I doubt he gives a damn about me or even knows who Sai is."

Naruto nodded. "Alright."

"But you need to be careful. I don't want you leaving my sight, understood?"

Naruto felt a bit like a child so he saluted with sarcasm. "Yes, sir."

Sasuke frowned and Sai held open the door as they all exited. He let his lips dust across Naruto's ear and said, "If he gets too demanding, come and find me, ne?"

Naruto shook his head and followed along behind Sasuke, admiring the clothes he was wearing. It was rare that Naruto saw Sasuke out of corporate garb and on the few occasions where he dressed down Naruto took the time to admire. And now was once of those times.

Black denims and an oversized sleeveless white hoodie never looked more attractive, and Naruto secretly wondered if Sasuke had ever contemplated modeling. His features were sharp against the loose knit fabric, and even his hair fell in articulate layers around his face pulling in attention. As they shifted down the staircase several men caught glances between both Sasuke and Naruto, most likely caught between the porcelain beauty and the prettyblonde counterpart.

As they found themselves on the lower level Sai took the lead, maneuvering a pathway between social groups that had formed, leading the trio to a back lobby. A tall red curtain separated the two rooms and before they entered the tall boy turned.

"Look confident in being here, Naruto." Naruto realized that he was huddled close to the two men and he stepped backward and straightened his figure in an attempt to appear more demanding. If there was ever a time for him to be confident, now was the time, and as Sai peeled back the curtain, Naruto felt his eyes go wide.

Girls. And many of them. They were mixed with male counterparts, chatting at tables and on a dance floor—some serving foods and liquors while others stood patiently on the outskirts of the room, waiting for a man that peaked their interest. There was a bar table that was fully seated and many booths and café style tables around the small room, and Sasuke effectively pushed Naruto to get him to follow Sai into a booth.

"What are you spacing out for?" He asked, and Naruto felt his vision drift towards the inner and more social area of the room. He shook his head.

"It's been so long since I've seen…well, girls."

Sasuke snorted and raised his hand, attracting a cute waitress. She was young and bubbly, and Naruto felt his heart-rate speed up, missing the sweet sound of a female's flirtation.

"What can I do for you, sir?" She smiled and Naruto grinned asSasuke ordered.

"Scotch, on the rocks."

Sai knelt back against his chair, pulling his knee up to his chest in a suggestive manner. He grinned. "Surprise me."

Naruto felt her attention pour onto him and he decided to choose something light due to his previous alcohol adventure.

"Beer is fine, thank you." The waitress nodded and disappeared into the crowd.

Sai spoke almost as soon as she had vanished, his attention focused on the corner directly across the room from them.

"And there he is," he commented, causing the two others to glance upwards. Naruto searched the crowds relentlessly before he spotted a familiar mane of gray hair. He felt his insides tighten. Jiraiya.

He examined the situation and noted that the old man was quite drunk and surrounded by a great deal of women, most of which were very young. Naruto narrowed his eyes and stood up, causing Sasuke to tug his sleeve.

"Where are you going?"

"Better now than never." Naruto said and he drifted across the room, weaving through couples as they swayed with lust across the plat formed dance floor. As Naruto neared the booth he took a deep breath, knowing full well that he had a great deal to pull off. As he approached, Jiraiya glanced up to him.

"And who are you?" He mumbled, though as soon as the words left his lips Naruto was positive the older man recognized him. The gray man had gone slightly pale and had stopped drinking from a tall bottle of sake, instead taking in Naruto with scrutinizing eyes.

"Just an admirer, "Naruto answered, running a hand craftily to his pocket. "I was just curious about your talent. You have many women here." He paused as a few of the girls peered up to him, "Many _beautiful_ women."

The girls giggled and Naruto smiled, the ways of flirtation registering in his mind. It had been a while, but it was good to know he still had his charm.

The older man slid forward in his seat an obvious attempt to decipher the situation crossing his eyes. He answered earnestly.

"Youth only accounts for so much, kiddo. When you get to my age, you learn that it's experience that matters."

Naruto nodded and winked at one of the girls, bringing his attention vacantly to Jiraiya. He spoke with a content tone, but he made sure to stress all the right terms.

"Ah. Well, with youth comes problems, I'll agree. Surely they're problems you'll help me out with?" Naruto wasn't quite sure if he phrased it appropriately but he was hoping that the old man would take the hint that he was asking for help. It seemed to have worked until the old man grinned.

"Well, if that's the case…" He signaled for one of his women to stand up and she smiled seductivelybefore she approached Naruto. "I'll give you all the help you want!"

Naruto felt the girl's arm slide around his waist and she pressed herself against him, pushing herself on her toes to bring her mouth to his. She pressed her tongue against his lips lightly and he parted them, allowing the sweet smell of women's perfume intoxicate him. She let her free hand graze his chest and he was reminded vaguely of Sakura, only that when the girl's hand slid to the back pocket of his pants, he let his eyes drift open. She smiled up at him and he grinned downward, lightly pecking her nose.

"Thanks, babe." He noted and he glanced down to Jiraiya before nodding. The older man laughed heartily and pulled the girl in close against him, kissing her forehead and causing her to blush.

"That's all the help you'll be receiving tonight, kiddo."

Naruto nodded. "Well, in that case, it was a pleasure."

He drifted back to his own table, avoiding the crowds as he located Sai and Sasuke in the mix. He pulled himself back into the booth and took a sip of his beer, enjoying the bitter sensation that tickled his tongue. He had never completely loved beer, but he was in the mood for settling. Turning to the side, he noticed that Sasuke was glaring at him.

"What?" He asked, and Sai leaned forward, a grin creasing his pale features.

"It looks like you've found a new friend." Sai said, and Naruto glanced back at Jiraiya's table only to see the girl peering over to him with wanting eyes. Naruto almost laughed and lightly pushed Sasuke's forearm.

"Oh please. Not my type." He tilted upwards and placed a hand into his back pocket, pulling out a wad of paper. Sasuke eyed him and he explained.

"When she kissed me, she gave me a gift. Hopefully from Jiraiya."

Sasuke grabbed it from him quickly and Naruto frowned. "Hey—"

But Sasuke had already unfolded it and was examining its contents. He looked confused and Sai took it from him soon after.

"I have no idea." Sasuke said, and Sai licked his lips. "I have a friend that is a decoder…I'm sure he could figure it out."

Naruto shifted. "Jiraiya gave us a note that needs decoding?"

"He can't talk freely here." Sasuke said and Naruto leaned forward and snatched the paper from Sai's grasp. Pulling himself into a comfortable position, he began reading the paper—and almost laughed.

"Wait—you guys can't read this?"

Sasuke and Sai didn't look amused.

"It's Spanish."

Sasuke raised and eyebrow.

"Spanish doesn't exist anymore?" Naruto ventured and Sai narrowed his eyes.

"Is it a language or something?" and Naruto nodded. He returned his attention to the paper and made an attempt at deciphering.

_Vas a tu cuarto para llamar el numero 611 usando el telefono a las diez en la manana._

Naruto translated. "We're supposed to call room 611 at 10 a.m. tomorrow."

Sai looked fascinated and Sasuke looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

Naruto laughed and re-read it. "Yup, I'm sure. I've taken six years of the language—I hope I can decipher one sentence."

Sai seemed content and slithered out of his chair. "Would you care to dance, Naruto?"

The blonde shook his head and Sai shrugged with nonchalance. "Unfortunate for you. I'm going to enjoy this. I'll see you both tomorrow."

Naruto grabbed his sleeve. "Wait—you're not sleeping in the hotel room tonight?"

Sai's eyes danced between Sasuke's and Naruto's before he replied. "I wouldn't dream of it."

He turned curtly and disappeared into the crowd, latching on to a rather thin redhead at the far end of the room. Naruto gagged.

"He's so weird."

There was a pause and Sasuke drank the last dropof his hard liquor.

"Let's go to bed." Sasuke said and Naruto was a little surprised by the casualty of the statement. Sasuke was already beginning to push out of the booth though, and Naruto, grabbing his beer, followed him out of the room.

"Is it okay to leave Sai alone?" He questioned and Sasuke shrugged.

"I'm sure he can handle himself."

Naruto followed Sasuke back to their room, a sudden wave of exertion overwhelming him. He collapsed onto the bed and drank some more beer, a realization beginning to overcome him.

"There's only one bed."

Sasuke grunted as he took off his hoodie and replaced it with a T-shirt that was placed on a vanity near the door. Theyhad been left a lot of clothing.

Naruto sat up and Sasuke ventured over, his face still stern. Naruto frowned.

"Are you really mad about her kissing me?"

Sasuke didn't say anything, only pulled his pants off, revealing black boxers. Naruto felt embarrassed but spoke again.

"You're kind of possessive, you know that?"

Naruto finished off his beer and closed his eyes, surprised when he felt something soft brush against his lips. He felt the bed indent beside him and he opened his eyes quickly, realizing that Sasuke had effectively straddled him. The raven was running his tongue across Naruto's lips and Naruto felt his lips part in response.

"What are you doing?" Naruto's voice rose in a nervous tremor and Sasuke opened his eyes.

"When I kiss you you get angry. When _she_kissed you, you didn't." Sasuke said, an air of jealousy radiating from his tone.

Naruto rolled his eyes and attempted to sit up. "That's because it was pretend!"

Sasuke placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back down, eyeing him firmly.

"Then pretend."

Sasuke lowered his lips to Naruto's and let his breath ghost over the blonde's lips before taking them in, all while pressing the weight of his abdomen onto Naruto's groin. Naruto gasped at the pressure and felt his heart beat accelerate. It was always like this when Sasuke kissed him. It always made him nervous and excited, evoking feelings he wasn't familiar with.

They kissed for a long while, tongues battling for dominance before Sasuke's hand found its way under Naruto's shirt, tracing the gentle outline of his torso with smooth and deliberate touches. Sasuke's fingers were hot against his skin, and Naruto breathed hard as Sasuke's mouth left his and found a more sensitive spot on his neck.

He felt his body arch unconsciously, an action that made him come back to reality about what he was doing. He was making out with a boy. A very attractive boy, but a male nonetheless.

And he was enjoying it.

The way Sasuke's fingers followed his curves made him breath long and hard and he bit back a sound that had been forming at the back of his throat. He tilted his head upwards and Sasuke pressed himself lower, allowing him better access to Naruto's shirt which he tugged upwards on impatiently. Naruto shifted so that it would rise and allowed Sasuke to peel it over his head, throwing it over his shoulders as soon as it was released.

Naruto groaned and Sasuke delved downwards, running his tongue over his chest and stomach, tracing a picture that spelled pleasure for him. The blonde panted before letting out a hoarse whimper.

"Sasu…ke…"

The raven paused his ministrations and Naruto lay flat, his chest rising and falling with anticipation. Sasuke pulled himself up and sat forward, resting some of his weight on the smaller boy before positioning himself so that he was directly over him. After a moment, Naruto opened his eyes to meet his.

"You're not ready for this." Sasuke said, and Naruto blinked, surprised that Sasuke was thinking about his own well-being. He sighed.

"You're right. Especially because I'm _straight_." He emphasized the word but the comment came out more like a joke than anything else. Sasuke pecked his lips and ran his tongue across the fold.

"Well, you weren't complaining." Sasuke mumbled

He rolled off of Naruto and ventured towards the top of the bed, drawing back the covers. Naruto sat for a moment and peered upwards. "You're right."

Sasuke patted the plot of bed next to him and motioned for Naruto to join him. Naruto pulled himself up from the bed and drew back his own side, slightly surprised that he didn't feel uncomfortable with the single-bed concept any longer. He pulled back on his shirt and released his slacks. As he settled in, he frowned.

"When did I start becoming so comfortable around you?"

Sasuke shrugged and turned off the light above the bed, and Naruto slinked under the covers.

After a moment of silence, Naruto spoke again.

"Thank you."

Sasuke grunted from across the way, and Naruto smiled. Deep inside, he wondered if it was only friendship that made his heart beat as fast as it was.

* * *

A/N--> Gotta go do finals. Love to you all, please R&R. 


	31. Making Waves

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you so much for all of your reviews and patience. These sparatic updates are throwing _me_ off so I can only imagine how it's affecting all of you. But really, I appreciate all of your reviews and I will respond to more after this chapter now that I finally have my high speed back and I'm not clinging to my parents' dial-up. Ugh.

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**Chapter 31: Making Waves**

A chilled breeze drifted through the open window of the hotel room. Naruto shivered at the cool sensation, peering out of the window as he lay awake. He counted the satellites in the darkened sky, amazed at how many stars could be seen.

He had been awake for a few hours, unable to sleep and unwilling to move for fear of waking the dark haired roommate that was slumbering peacefully beside him. His mind had been jolted awake, racing for a reason he couldn't quite pin. He felt as if he had dreamed about something important, but he couldn't remember the details.

Narutofrowned androlled onto his back, an effort intended to relieve an uncomfortable strain in his shoulderand blinked as a light hue began to dust the horizon.From beside him, Sasuke turned to the side, murmuring under his breath.

"It's too early. Go back to sleep."

Naruto debated on whether the Uchiha was dreaming or directing a demand towards him. After a moment of silence the raven's eyes flickered open, glaring at Naruto with a weary annoyance.

"Go to sleep." He repeated and Naruto only nodded, wondering if the boy was really awake or just offering a passive suggestion. Nevertheless the blonde closed his eyes, begging the darkness to swallow him andgive him just a few more hours of rest. He curled inward on the large mattress, pulling his body into an arch. He let out a long sigh and evened out his breathing.

Counting sheep didn't work. Counting them took too much effort.

Imagining a peaceful place didn't work either—it reminded him of his dorm life and family back home, which made him think about his current situation.

He even tried to imagine himself sleeping which only proved to irritate him.

After a few minutes of more failed attempts he rolled onto his back again and stared at the ceiling, fiddling with the upper hem of the comforter. A harsh clicking noise sounded from the doorway to their room and Naruto saw Sasuke's eyes flicker open. Naruto twisted his head to view the entryway, wondering briefly if he should be concerned.

A lean figure with a ruffled head of black hair meandered into the room, and Naruto immediately recognized the stranger as Sai, obviously content with whatever activities he had engaged himself with in the course of the evening. He still appeared fairly passive, but Naruto could tell that he was more contentthan usual, especially when the sarcastic boy didn't flirt with him when he spoke.

"Morning." He nodded to Naruto before flopping into a large red velvet chair near the window. He slid into it with ease, his thin figure curling over the arms and his head finding peace over the head of the backing. Within moments Sai was asleep, small puffs of exhaustion sounding as his chest rose and fell. From beside Naruto, Sasuke snorted.

"Harlot."

Naruto tuned to see the raven-haired mogul looking irritated before they both made eye contact and Naruto smiled lightly and shook his head. He sank lower into the covers and closed his eyes, hoping he would be able to get some more sleep. He felt Sasuke shift into a new position bringing them closer together. Naruto peered at the bedside clock and realized that it was only sun up. His eyes were beginning to feel heavy again and he silently thanked the lord before turning inwards and pulling the pillow closer to his body.

* * *

It seemed like minutes before Naruto felt a cool hand run down his shoulder, prodding him gently. He groggily opened his eyes and yawned, pulling the pillow in closer as he did so. 

"Ten more minutes…" He whispered, and he was answered by a more forceful voice.

"Naruto. It's 9:45. You need to get up."

The blonde rolled onto his side and yawned, running a hand over his tired eyes in an effort to prod them open. After a few moments he sat up and was surprised when Sasuke sat down beside him and handed him a cellular device. He took it with reluctance and sighed.

"You want me to call?" His voice felt raspy and he cleared it. From the far corner of the room Sai exited the bathroom, his hair wet and slick around his heart shaped face. He was shirtless and wearing tight block leather pants, a combination that made Naruto's eyes go wide. How everyone could beso liberal with their bodies Naruto would never know. Sasuke cleared his throat and Naruto pulledhis attention back.

"If he starts talking in that language,neither one of us will be any use."

Naruto knew that he was right. He glanced at the clock and shrugged the covers off of his body, setting the phone on the bedside table. He glided past Sasuke and Sai and went to the bathroom, afterwards runningcool water through his hair and over his face. He knelt over the sink for a few moments, breathing in with a silent intensity,preparing himself for whatever conversation could await him with Jiraiya. After a few moments he found his way back to the bed and sat down, pulling the phone to his ear.

"611, please." He directed the operator, and Sasuke crossed his arms, glaring down at him with curiosity. Sai, on the other hand, took a seat on the red velvet chair, pulling his feet up to rest on the end of the bed. He ran a hand over his bare chest and yawned, fiddling with the marijuana necklace that dangled over his torso.

As someone picked up the line, Naruto answered briskly. Sasuke watched carefully, attempting to dissect the conversation but was surprised when Naruto only answered in yes or no.

"Yes….No. No…no…yes….yes. Yes." The conversation was minute, and when Naruto set down the phone, he turned to his raven-haired employer and scratched his nose.

"He says that he is pressed for time and being followed. He knew we would try to find him and he wants to meet us. It looks like he is friends with Gai and Lee because he wants us to head to the eco village."

Sasuke shook his head. "How do you know it was him you spoke to?"

Naruto thought for a minute. "Well, I never doubted it. It was definitely him."

"It makes sense," Sai said as he ruffled his hair. "To have developments in an eco village. It's the last place anyone would look."

Sasuke lowered his arms to his sides and glared and Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

Sasuke sat down on the bed next to Naruto and bit his lip.

"How are we going to get there?" Naruto was positive that Sasuke wasn't enthusiastic about the idea and in all truth he didn't sound at all inspired to go. Sasuke was the type of person who liked to be in charge and even though it was common knowledge that Jiraiya was to be respected, Naruto found himself wondering if Sasuke had disliked theman.

From the end of the bed, Sai spoke up. "My job was only to get you this far. I can tell you how to get there, but from this point on, you're on your own."

Sasuke snorted and Naruto felt slightly dejected. He had come to rely on Sai for quite a bit and was nervous to travel with Sasuke on his own.

"If I were you, I would take the old subways." Sai noted, twisting his necklace around his fingers. He peered up to the ceiling as if he were memorising a script and continued to speak.

"You can take them as far as Le Toute Fin…from there you could probably hitch a ride to Nivae or catch the Night Shuttle."

"Or walk." Sasuke offered, contemplating the choices in his head. He peered down to Naruto and held out a hand.

"Either way, we need to get a move on. The subways only run until midday."

Naruto stood, surprised that they were already preparing to leave. He quickly changed into a more street appropriate outfit and was grateful when Sai offered him his backpack. It was full of food and useful supplies and as Naruto fumbled through it his hands passed the familiar rim of his own weapon. From beside him, Sai smiled sweetly.

"I didn't forget it." He said, and Naruto squirmed under his glare. He still felt strange having a gun around but he didn't want it to show. He slung the pack over his shoulder and turned towards Sasuke who was already in the hallway of the hotel looking displeased.

"We've got to go." He said, and Naruto nodded impatiently.

"Goodbye, Sai. Thank you…for well, you know." Naruto let his fingers jog loosely over the base of his neck, feeling awkward under Sai's mischievous stare. The boy smiled back and did a polite bow.

"The pleasure was all mine." His smile had grown impossibly large and he eyed Sasuke with his next statement. "When we meet again, I'll make sure the pleasure is all yours."

The expected result occurred as Sasuke snagged Naruto away and began dragging him down the long foyer, annoyed and irritated. Naruto jogged behind him, the weight of his backpack making his shoulders sore. Sasuke led him down the familiar set of stairs to the first floor landing, through the lobby and out into the clustered street. He dodged to the left and led Naruto away from the hotel. It was a long while before he released Naruto's hand.

Naruto rubbed his wrist when he received it back and pulled his backpack tight against his shoulders in an effort to relieve some of the tension from the bag. Sasuke pulled out a map from his back pocket and Naruto leaned over him, interested to see where they were going.

Sasuke's smooth hand trailed the paper, following color coded lines that Naruto didn't recognize and stopping at various specs on the thin paper. After a moment, Sasuke turned his head upwards and spoke.

"The Red District station is only a few blocks from here. The old subways are underground and they can be sketchy so it's best that you stay close to me. And when I say stay close, I mean it."

Naruto swallowed and straightened up, licking his lips with enthusiasm. "Alright, dad. How long will this trip be?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the sarcasm but answered nonetheless.

"A few hours to Le Toute Fin…the longest part of the trip will be from there to Nivae."

Naruto took a deep breath and watched as Sasuke put away the map and straightened his loose button up shirt. His hair was impossibly messy today, a look that Naruto figured only he could pull off, and aside from that, Sasuke looked tired.

"Le Toute Fin…The bitter end? That doesn't sound promising for a destination." Naruto remarked, and Sasuke began to walk forward.

"It's the last stop. It used to be that criminals were taken to a prison by that subway. I think the name came from that."

Naruto nodded and mouthed an acknowledgement. "I bet it used to be Canyon City. There's a really big prison there—in my time anyway."

Sasuke thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't know. The names have changed a lot since your time."

Naruto nodded and shrugged his shoulders forward, evening out the weight of the pack on his neck. Sasuke glided forward, leading them to the same street they had been cruising down the night before. He turned to the right, taking them south, and Naruto attempted to appear as calm as possible as they passed several groups of street folk, all watching the duo with interested eyes.

Sasuke took a few opportunities to glare at some of the men, causing their attention to drift away. Naruto noted this talent and almost grinned, a casual smile creasing his placid expression. Sasuke had an unbelievable presence, one that always demanded respect. Even in this area of town, which Naruto was positive was sketchy, Sasuke had an odd sense of power. It made the blonde want to stick close, and he shuffled forward in an attempt to match the raven's hastened pace.

They passed a few small convenience stores—places Naruto would have once called 'gas stations'—but seeing the absence of gasoline, the name hardly seemed fitting. They were large brick stores with metal awnings and Naruto noticed that they all seemed to have large blinking neon signs plastered above them. He didn't recognize any of the names and didn't feel surprised, but what drew his attention in the most were the housing districts that saturated the area.

Post modern.

Naruto had learned about the post modern era once in college and in all honesty, he hadn't really made an effort to retain the knowledge he had gained. But what he did remember fit perfectly with the scene before him.

Tall buildings, wide buildings, concrete buildings…many windows, nothing artistic about the architecture. Just big block structures meant for utility and practicality alone, especially in highly populated areas. Naruto let his neck strain as he followed the spine of one particular housing development, all the way to the hazy blue morning sky. He squinted his eyes as the sun attacked his vision, and brought his hand up like a visor before pulling his concentration back down to the leader of his expedition.

Sasuke was a few feet ahead so Naruto jogged forward, reaching out to grab the loose backing of a black denim sweater that his partner was wearing. The raven glanced back inquisitively, his eyes questioning. Naruto only shook his head.

"I fell behind. Sorry."

Sasuke nodded lightly and led them both to the right hand side of the road and down a dirty concrete set of stairs. Naruto knew immediately that it was the entrance to a subway system and he let his eyes skim the tattered pamphlets that covered the walls, trying to decipher them. As if reading his mind, Sasuke spoke up.

"Because the government is stricter with the media, free range public speaking mainly happens on the streets. You'll see a lot of posters and things where we're going."

Naruto nodded as they reached the bottom of the stairs, and Sasuke drifted forward to an odd looking booth—on that looked suspiciously like an ATM machine. Pale hands withdrew a few small coins, and after a few buttons were pressed of the small computer screen resolution, two tickets emerged from the side of the red machine. Sasuke tore them off almost impatiently and handed one to Naruto.

"Keep this. Don't lose it." Naruto nodded and drifted forward, following Sasuke through a turnstile, all while running his ticket over an automatic reader. It beeped in response, a sound that Naruto took as an affirmative, and the two made there way down a few more flights of stairs and to a small tunnel with a miniature inlet for passengers.

Sasuke examined his ticket and eyed a hanging schedule board, carefully calculating the time. Naruto took a seat at a small white bench towards the rear of the passenger gathering area, finding it odd that he and Sasuke were the only people waiting for this particular journey. He bit his lip.

"Hey Sasuke?" Naruto asked, and the raven turned towards him neutrally.

"Hn."

Naruto breathed for a moment and debated on how to phrase his question. In reality, it had been bothering him for a while.Sasuke was very much in tune with a great deal of modern culture, despite the fact he was a successful businessman.

"I was just wondering how you know so much about this stuff. Yesterday you asked Sai what the 'codes' were…and you seem to know a lot about red district clubs, too." Naruto relaxed against the bench and crossed his ankles, peering up to the Uchiha for an answer.

"I wasn't born a CEO." He remarked.

Naruto frowned. "Well, yeah. But you know a lot for a guy who's always been fairly wealthy."

It was Sasuke's turn to frown as he took a seat next to Naruto, his dark eyes glimmering under the harsh underground lights.

"I wasn't the best kid growing up—especially with what happened with my parents. I'm used to places like this…it's just been a while since I've been to one."

Naruto nodded, taking in the information. Sasuke had been lonely, and by the sounds of it, he had gone to places like the red light district to relieve his anxiety.As a child, no less.

Naruto grimaced. "It must have been difficult for you."

Sasuke looked a little surprised at the comment but he just shook his head. "It doesn't matter much now that you're here." Sasuke's dark eyes met Naruto's and Naruto flushed.

He turned his head and nodded. "I hope I can help you."

There was a brief pause and a resounding screech echoed down the cavernous station, causing both boys to wince. From the distance white lights flashed brightly and Sasuke stood up, glancing back down athis ticket again.

"This is us," He said confidently and Naruto pulled himself to his feet, stepping backwards as the train whizzed by, sending a rush of wind through the passenger area. It was slowing gently and drifted to a stop. Sasuke led himforward into an empty car.

"This subway goes to Le Toute Fin?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded and sat down near a door, resting eagerly against the side seat. Naruto drifted towards him and relieved himself of the backpack, sitting a few inches away from the Uchiha.

Sasuke yawned.

"You seem tired." Naruto commentedand Sasuke nodded. "You had a nightmare and were awake for a while. It made it hard for me to sleep."

Naruto felt embarrassed. "You didn't need to avoid sleep for my sake."

Sasuke shrugged. "You were calling my name. You don't remember?"

Naruto's eyes grew wide and the doors to the shuttle closed in order for the machine to rev its engines and begin to glide forward. "I what?"

Sasuke nodded, his eyes half lidded. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you're even more stressed than myself."

Naruto wasn't going to let that thought slide, but he decided to contemplate it later.

"So, you said Nivae is about three hours away?" he asked instead. Sasuke nodded and yawned again.

"You should take a nap." Naruto recommended, and Sasuke eyed him. Naruto felt a little offended and scooted closer, leaving his shoulder open as an invitation for Sasuke's head.

"Look, I'll wake you up when they announce Nivae. They will make an announcement, right?"

Sasuke nodded, still staring somewhat skeptically. Naruto rolled his eyes and nudged the raven-haired boy waiting patiently before a soft head of black hair descended to his shoulder.

"I wonder how Neji is." Naruto wondered to no one in particular.

From beneath him Sasuke mumbled, "He's probably better off than us."

Naruto laughed but his nose crinkled in thought. For some reason, he didn't have a good feeling.

* * *

Neji had always been good at hand-to-hand combat. In fact, it was his forte. 

For the most part he was always a part of the second entry unit of his squad, always entering after the guys with big guns, ready to take out some sad and unfortunate mess that was trying to escape injured and without a weapon.

He rarely ever made an effort to kill criminals, believing strongly that the court would decide the person's fate well enough. Instead he would stifle their consciousness, whether by a quick punch or well aimed palm to the neck—whatever the situation called for. He was talented and quick, and he knew it.

But on this particular occasion his talents seemed completely worthless. He had no weapon and he didn't know the area, and above that, he was straining himself to protect Chouji who seemed completely baffled by the whole scenario.

And in all honesty, he was too.

A dagger flew steadily past his ear, nicking the lobe in a sensitive place and he hissed, stepping to the side with a growl. His back hit the side rim of Chouji's vehicle and he glared upwards in an attempt to make out the figure that was targeting him, surprised when a large shadow emerged, revealing a face with a wide smile consuming the face. Neji was struck with a mental image of a Cheshire catand he narrowed his eyes, taking in the attacker.

"L-look—you can have the car. We were just…j-just dropping it off here anyway." Chouji was on the ground next to Neji, his eyes wide in disbelief. And though he was telling the truth, Neji knew that this person wasn't after their vehicle. In fact, Neji knew that the man had been following them for quite some time—long before they had decided to ditch Chouji's car as a dealership for fear of it being traced and followed.

And now the figure was laughing, his voice low and grinding, like someone who wasn't used to the activity. He stepped forward into the light of the dealership garage, moonlight playing his features like an indirect omni.

"I don't need your car….but since you offered it o freely, I would love to take it off your hands." His voice was smooth and cynical, and Neji stepped forward, hoping the move would show a play of equal power and not dominance.

"What precinct are you from?" He said with an edge, and the figure grinned.

"I ain't a cop, pretty boy."

Neji thought for a moment, his mind feeling strained. If this figure wasn't an officer, than who was he? Why was he following them?

"Who—" Neji demanded, but was interrupted.

"My brother had a nice little run in with your little traveler." There was a pause while the information sunk in. "And if you're a good boy and tell me where little Blondie is, I may decide not to leave you and tubby here dead."

Neji stepped backwards, more accurately and protectively in front of Chouji. If what the person said was true, he was the brother of Subaku. And if he was related to that mass murderer, he wasn't someone easily fought. Neji cursed.

"You're Kankuro." The words came out much calmer that he thought they would, and Neji felt Chouji shuffle around behind him.

"Chouji…I want you to get out of here." Neji's words were crisp and cool. Chouji didn't move however, still fearing the presence before them. Before Neji could make the demand again, the figure stepped closer, his big boned shape making Neji wonder just where the man's skillslay.

"I take it you're not going to tell me?" There were black markings all over the man's face and Neji noticed that he was wearing a black beanie.

"No, I'm not." Neji answered carefully.

The man sighed, looking a bit like a child as he did so. He laughed throatily and knelt forward, drawing a strange spool from his pocket. It was large and had a thin thread wrapped around it, and Neji turned to Chouji.

"Chouji—go hide. Now!" The younger boy took in his urgency and scuffled away and Neji turned to face his opponent.

Before he could speak something incredibly sharp slit his cheek, and he stumbled to the side. He glanced up and caught Kankuro dodging back and forth and from side to side at a speed that Neji had never thought possible.

His shoulder burned in pain and he peered down, noting that a perfect slit had just indented itself into his skin. Blood trickled down his forearm and also down to his chin, and he struggled to stay composed while trying to discover just how his nemesis was brawling. He peered back up but the man was twisting something above his head, winding it, and casting it out like a fisherman. After a moment, another sharp twinge of pain struck his other shoulder, this time causing him to let out a low groan.

"What on Earth—" he began, but it was too late. Kankuro was nearly next to him, his grin even wider than before.

"You can't defeat me. Hell, it doesn't look like you can do much of anything."

Neji pulled himself into his traditional martial arts stance, glaring.

"Fight me hand to hand and I'll show you what I can do."

This seemed to intrigue Kankuro and he pulled the thin wire of the spool back towards him. He slouched to his right side and placed a hand on his hip, his eyes narrowing in the process.

"Ah. One of those." He mumbled to himself before pulling his arms forward. He nearly copied Neji's stance and grinned, willing the long-haired officer to make the first move.

Neji dodged forward and struck out, sliding his fist through the air with an incomprehensible speed. It almost made contact before Kankuro dodged out of the way, ducking beneath Neji like an acrobat and aiming his own punch towards Neji's stomach.

The officer pulled backwards, spinning forward to give momentum to aroundhouse kick to which the assassin craftily dodged. They both separated for a moment, breathing low and hard. Neji felt his fists clench, astounded that someone was as up to par as him when it came to martial talent. In his history, he had always been one of the best—and he inwardly wondered what he could do to defeat someone with power equal to his own.

He let the palm of his shoe grind across the floor as he found a new stance, bringing one of his arms closer to his chest and letting the other one float freely behind him. Kankuro laughed, obviously amused, before peeling forward, shoving his weight at Neji like a coagulated sack of bricks. Neji lowered himself and struck upward with a technique he had taught himself.

As the assassin drew near, Neji forced his hands outward at incredible speeds, striking Kankuro's chest with an accuracy that left him breathless. The assassin coughed up blood and smirked as Neji retreated backwards, anxious to see what damage he had done. After a moment's examination, he was disappointed when he realized that it wasn't enough.

Kankuro was still standing upright and he showed no signs of pain or exhaustion. Where he had learned his martial arts style Neji would never know.Neji cursed. From the other side of the small arena, the opponent slouched backwards. For a moment, he appeared almost bored.

"Fun. That all you got?"

Neji wanted to growl but he found his attention perfectly focused on the stranger's hand as it drifted to his pocket, withdrawing what appeared to be a dagger. It was then that Neji's eyes grew somewhat wide, realizing that the criminal's time for playing fair had come to an end.

"Ah. That's too bad. I had hopes for you." The stranger lifted the weapon and Neji let thoughts of escape and hiding pummel his brain, trying to deduct a way avoid what he was sure to be perfect aim.

The knife raised and Neji saw it catch with the momentum, flying towards him in a wicked spin.

He opened his mouth to speak but the heavy sound of dropping metal clamor from the pavement, and when he looked up he saw Kankuro drop to the ground, clutching his shoulder. Blood was seeping out onto the garage floor and lowing quickly from the assassin's wounds, and Neji turned around to view his savior.

"You're too old school. I find that a gun is perfectly efficient when taking care of trash."

Neji's eyes widened as he took in the dark figure cleverly perched on the car behind him, leg drawn up into a casual slouch and mouth curved into a sly smile. Neji immediately recognized him, and not for good reasons.

"Hatake Kakashi." He murmured, and the stranger only grunted in acknowledgement.

"Indeed. I've come to take you to Uzumaki."

Neji raised an eyebrow, confused as to how one of the most wanted criminals knew about Naruto. He glared intently.

Kakashi laughed, his eye patch glistening in the dense moonlight. When Neji turned to view Kankuro, the boy was gone.

"What—I didn't hear him move." He was astounded.

Kakashi laughed and jumped down from the car letting tight black leather pants and a white button up cling to his thin torso. He licked his lip.

"He's a pro. You're obviously a fed. I'm not thrilled to help you, but I'll take you to Uzumaki."

Neji blinked and straightened out, narrowing his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, bit the gray haired man shrugged.

"Come with me and find out."

Neji debated momentarily. Go with a world-renowned assassin, or continue on his own.

He glanced around the lot for Chouji and when the boy shuffled out from behind a car, Neji groaned. Turning to Kakashi he narrowed his eyes.

"Fine. Lead away."

* * *

**A/N-->**Another info-ey chapter but hey, I had fun writing it. And just to let you guys know...we're getting really close to figuring out Naru-chan's mystery. Well, a big part of it, anywho. Like chapter 34 close. Heh heh. 

On an authorly update note, I finished chapter 36 and am going to finish this story this week, no if-ands-or-buts about it. My final assessment for chapter count is 42 and I fully intend on writng a sequel. It will be titled 'Misery Loves Company' and I will probably start writing it in a couple weeks...so give me until November to post it. I kind of consider this story the prologue to it--to set the stage for Sasu-Naru goodness. Let's just say that the relationship to plot ratio will be a lot higher in MLCompany.

On another updating note, during the first week of October I will be posting the first chapters of my two other new Naruto fanfics, Boy of Borealis and Dead Weight.

I promised a few chapters ago that I would put up a preview and to be honest, when I updated last I was too busy and mentally flubbed to do so. But, today, I am happy to post a mini preview of both in hopes to lure you guys to my author page when they come out. Enjoy!

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**WARNING: DRUG REFERENCE AND HARSH LANGUAGE (said by eleven year olds, too...)**

**Dead Weight:** Naruto's father promised to protect him from the world but in a sick and sadistic turn of events his promise lands them both living motel to motel in a drug-in sell-out world. Sasuke has problems of his own but finds solace in discovering someone he can save--but he first must discover what kind of love is right and wrong.

SASUnaruSASU

_"Want company?" Kiba asked._

_Naruto stared for a moment, his eyes darting back and forth between the brunette's challenging glare and the half-concealed bag of cocaine poking out from behind his jacket. He frowned and turned away, anxious to leave the school grounds._

_"I should have known you were a chicken. Bet you don't even know what the fuck it is." Naruto could feel Kiba's smirk burning into his back, testing his patience. It worked, because Naruto turned around, his bright blue eyes savagely narrow._

_"I do too know what that crap is, and I'm not going to get high with you." The blonde watched as Kiba's expression faded slightly, turning into what seemed more like a pale curiosity. After a long moment of silence, Naruto whipped around, content at his ability to make the brown-haired rebel become speechless, and he took off towards the closest intersection._

_"There's no need for you to get testy." Kiba's voice was annoyingly close, and Naruto glared at him through sidelong eyes as the stranger followed him._

_"Why are you harassing me?" Naruto asked, though he didn't bother slowing his pace. He needed to make it to 2nd before the recess whistles sounded in order to escape unnoticed._

_"Harassing? Ha." The boy responded, matching his pace. "I'm just trying to figure out what kind of boy allows himself to be bullied by a girl."_

_Naruto jogged across the intersection as the walk signal blinked in white, and whirled behind a cement gate as the familiar whistles of Washington Elementary echoed across the landing. Kiba stared back at the school vacantly, his eyes amused, and Naruto grabbed the lower hem of his shirt and yanked him to the ground._

_"We'll get caught if you stand there, you idiot." Naruto said softly, as though he stood a chance of being heard. Kiba laughed whole-heartedly and slid onto the prickly bundle of weeds and rocks below, staring at Naruto as he listened for an all-clear. His eyes were low and wide, and he licked his lips._

_"You have pretty eyes." Kiba stated, and Naruto turned to him and blinked. The brunette was staring at him rather passively, and it made him want to blush._

_"You're weird." Naruto said and he stood up, dusting dirt from his denim pants. He pursed his lips and extended a hand to the other boy, his polite nature over-writing his distaste for Kiba's character. After yanking Kiba to his feet, Naruto sighed._

_"Well, I'm going home. See you around." He shuffled forward, ignoring the intense gaze that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He wasn't surprised, however, when the rebel jogged up to his side._

_"What's with you, anyway? You afraid of people or somethin'?" Kiba let the words ripple from his mouth, an air of ignorance implying he didn't care if he insulted the blonde haired boy. "I mean, you're like a schizo. Silent like a fuckin' mute and then sneakin' around and shit like James Bond. You're the weirdo."_

_Naruto frowned at the sarcasm, but he kept his expression neutral as he spoke. "What if I am a schizo?"_

_There was a slight pause as Naruto eyed the brunette, letting his words drape him like a cold blanket. Naruto let his lips part slightly, and he could tell that Kiba was contemplating his response, debating on if it were possible. Naruto kept his icy eyes narrowed as Kiba grinned._

_"Then so am I, since I don't like any of those fuckers either."_

_Naruto smiled lightly and walked forward, wondering why Kiba had attached himself to him so quickly. It was normal for people to avoid him because of his well known poverty, and Naruto couldn't help but wonder if the other child had motives. As if reading his mind, Kiba spoke again._

_"I've been waiting to meet someone like me."_

A/N--> And thus Naruto meets troublemaker Kiba.

Probably a weird section to preview but posting the prologue felt lame. And hey, I only have 3 chapters written so far so it's slim pickins. Next time I'll do a preview for Bob (Boy of Borealis). Love to you all!

* * *

**R&R por favor!**

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	32. Sasuke's Past & Sakura's Secret

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Hurrah! Chapter 32...and a day early, no less. I'm almost done with 38 so I figured I'd start speeding things up...if that's alright with you guys. D

Also, I'm in a particularly good mood because--believe it or not--Miz Biz has just reached 70,000 hits. Whoa, man. My eyes almost fell out when I read that! 212 of you have me in your favorite stories and that's amazing as well--ah, it makes me excited to write more!

Thank you for all for your love and support for this story. It's really turning out nicely, I think. And I'm glad so many of you want a sequel, too. And that so many of you liked the preview for Dead Weight (Oh, and that wasn't the prologue, just a snippet from chapter 3). I'm excited for them, too.

Onward!

* * *

**Chapter 32: Sasuke's Past & Sakura's Secret**

"Wait for me!" His voice sang, the high reverberation of ten-year-old vocalspiercing the ears of his target. The man turned slowly, a look of irritation playing across his facial features.

"Sasuke, you're too slow." The older figure smirked at his comment and pushed a loose strand of hair behind his ears. His eyes were low and he was extremely pale, a common trait among Uchiha men.

Sasuke jogged forward in an effort to catch up with the looming figure, wondering why his brother was in such a rush to get home. They hadn't even been in the toy store ten minutes before his brother had shuffled out, apparently pressed for time. He looked up and noted that his brother had already turned into the station, disappearing into a swollen crowd of city dwellers.

He felt his heartbeat hasten.

Turning quickly into the giant metal gates he dodged a glance across the lobby in an attempt to spot his older sibling. Adults pushed past him hastily as he surveyed the area, and he was beginning to feel desperate.

Would Itachi leave him there?

He sifted forward, his pace slowing as he glanced from person to person, wondering where his brother could have gone. He didn't know where he was, and he had left his Icon at home…he had no way of contacting his family.

He felt tears beginning to well in his eyes and a pudgy man stumbled over him, causing Sasuke to fall to his knees on the scuffed marble floor. He felt his denim's tear and his palms bruise, and he curled himself into a ball.

He was all alone.

A gentle hand brushed down his spine and he peered up, hoping that it would be his brother. His small onyx eyes met with bright hazel ones—eyes he did not recognize. There was something deceitful about the figure that smiled down at him; something too motherly to be normal. His lips curled up a little too far, and his hand was clammy against Sasuke's narrow back.

"Are you lost?" The figure said, and Sasuke followed his first instinct. He shook his head violently and vaulted upward, turning quickly into the crowd. He could feel the figure's eyes on him and he felt that clammy hand grip his wrist. He turned to cry out but a strong arm enveloped his waist, hoisting him into the air.

The sweaty hand released him and Sasuke turned to view his rescuer, hugging the figure tightly when he realized that it was his brother. Itachi looked angry and was glaring at the stranger, his eyes as dark and demanding as Sasuke had ever seen them.

"Can I help you with something?" He demanded, holding Sasuke tight against him. The figure stepped backwards, in no way oblivious to the threat that Itachi was creating. He disappeared back into the crowds, and Sasuke felt his brother loosen his grip, allowing the younger boy's feet to touch the floor.

When Sasuke regained his balance he glanced up to his sibling, letting his left hand rub away the remnants of tears that still flushed his cheeks.

"I thought you left me." He sniffed.

Itachi merely sighed, taking Sasuke's hand into his own. He led them both to a ticket counter where he made their purchase and as Sasuke scanned the crowd, Itachi pulled him forward towards a bullet train.

"Why are we going home already?" Sasuke asked as they entered and took their seats. Itachi secured a fastener around Sasuke's waist and settled into his own seat before answering.

"Something's happened to one of our cousins. Father wanted us to come home."

Sasuke nodded though he was still thirsty for more information. After a moment of silence, he glanced up to his brother.

"Which cousin?" he questioned.

Itachi ran a finger down the front collar of his shirt, relieving a scratch. It revealed the gentle pale swell of his neck, and Sasuke noticed a blue marking beneath. He raised a curious eyebrow and Itachi answered his question.

"Shisui."

Sasuke nodded, not being able to put a face to the name. He had many cousins and saw them rarely.

The bullet train revved into motion after a small vocal warning sounded and the doors drifted close. It would be a long ride to the main of Denver and he pulled his legs up into a sitting position. His head bobbed against the seat and he let the smooth motion of the ride ease his eyes closed. He hadn't intended to fall asleep, but when Itachi pulled over his head to rest on his own broad shoulder, Sasuke felt the urge to rest overpower him.

* * *

Sasuke shifted uneasily, feeling a crick in his neck. It was sore from being in the same position for too long and it took him a moment to remember where he was. 

A gentle hand was on the base of his neck when he realized he was lying down, curled on a subway seat, head resting in a very warm lap. He blinked away the urge to sleep a little longer and sat up, leaning forward as his mind adjusted to the new awareness.

He glanced at his pillow and was surprised when bright cerulean eyes blinked back, a vague smirk dressing the face of Naruto Uzumaki.

"What are you grinning over?" Sasuke mumbled.

Naruto shrugged. "Nothing. I just had it pegged—with you being so tired and all."

Sasuke felt annoyed. He glanced around the subway, noting that they were the only passengers. He felt better about his casual demeanor.

"How far along are we?"

Naruto held up a few fingers and counted them in his head.

"Seven more stops to go and then we're there."

Sasuke twisted his head sideways and heard a gratifying pop. He massaged the delicate slope of his neck and yawned, wondering how he could have slept so peacefully for two hours. Aside from that, he wondered what Naruto had done in the meantime. He wasn't one to sit still, and Sasuke doubted that he had been a headrest the entire time.

"What were you up to?" He asked suspiciously. Naruto eyed him preemptively.

"Not much. Digging through Sai's bag, I guess. I discovered a sudoku book. I didn't think you guys still had them."

Sasuke glanced down to Naruto's hand where the small crossword novel sat, with nearly half of the pages bent in completion. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You like those sort of things?" He was surprised. Even though he knew that the blonde was responsible for a ground-breakingthesis, it seemed bizarre for such a hyper person to find fulfillment in sudoku puzzles.

Naruto nodded. "Keeps me thinking."

Sasuke agreed and the train announced an arrival that wasn't their own. Naruto closed the book and shoved it into Sai's backpack. He stood up and stretched, bringing Sasuke's attention to the lower hem of his shirt. It was riding up his waist at a delicate angle, revealing the smooth rise of his abdomen and the provocative inset of his hips. Even the ridiculous tattoo that Gai had adorned him with seemed attractive—like a target. He looked away.

Naruto seemed to notice his sudden change in persona because he collapsed into the seat next to him and stared, his blue eyes big and wide.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, and Sasuke bit his tongue. It probably wasn't something the blonde wanted to hear about.

He breathed deeply.

It wasn't as though Naruto was his type. He had always sought after people moodier than himself—but more dangerous. He had lived an awkward teenage life and had gotten into the wrong crowds—always tempted by the things most forbidden, and he had made a lot of mistakes early on. But when he had inherited the company, things changed—his priorities changed.

It was nearly overnight that he had become a corporate figurehead, and all of the confusion he had felt from his childhood had faded. He had become an adult at the raw age of 16, running a business and managing a lifestyle he wasn't prepared for.

So why now was he so attracted to a heterosexual half-baked blonde?

Not that he really believed that. Naruto was very smart. The only thing that made Sasuke smarter was his experience living in the 3000s. And about Naruto being straight…Sasuke was even beginning to have doubts in that.

There was something growing between them. Something that made him nervous—that made his priorities begin to change all over again.

Naruto blinked at him and raised an eyebrow, waving an impassive hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Sasuke." He said and Sasuke glared.

"What?"

Naruto laughed and sat backwards.

"What does that mean?" Sasuke asked. Sometimes, Naruto's sayings were too bizarre.

Naruto put his hands behind his head and bit his lip. After a moment, he rambled.

"It means something like, _hello_oo."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Quoting a saying with another saying that made equally as little sense. He shook his head.

"Never mind."

A soft voice came over the intercom announcing that Le Toute Fin was the next stop. Sasuke stood up and did his best to straighten his tunic before the train began to slow. Naruto stood up and followed him out, pulling Sai's backpack high against his shoulders.

Sasuke wondered what was in it.

"You never answered my question." Naruto said as they exited the station. They dropped their tickets into an automatic reader and followed a long flight of stairs upwards to ground level. The afternoon breeze was beginning to fade into an evening cool and Sasuke breathed it in, savoring the relief against such a hot and muggy day.

"What question?" He asked, and Naruto turned a street corner with him.

"I asked what you were thinking about."

Sasuke paused for a moment and reflected on his thoughts.

"I was thinking about you," he said, and noticing the surprised expression on the blonde's face, he added, "and how much trouble you are."

Naruto rolled his eyes and kept up pace as the both of them turned onto a dusted path. It was then that Naruto seemed to realize that they were in the middle of nowhere because he let out a low whistle.

"It looks so agricultural."

Sasuke snorted. "Not here. Eco villages are the only free trade areas that are allowed to grow vegetation."

Naruto nodded but looked in disarray.

"I have a feeling that even if I lived here the rest of my life I would still never understand it."

Sasuke almost chuckled. "Well of course. You haven't lived here or gone to school here."

"Right." The blonde replied, as if Sasuke's comment was completely obvious.

The both of them trekked on for nearly an hour before Naruto knelt down and breathed in deeply.

"I need a break." He said, and Sasuke paused beside him.

"Give me the pack." Sasuke demanded, and Naruto eyed him.

"Why?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Get something to eat out of it and then let me carry it. You've been lugging it around for our entire trip."

Naruto looked hesitant and Sasuke wondered just what was inside. And with Sai as the culprit, anything was possible.

Naruto pulled out hard steamed bread in a wrapper and handed the bag to Sasuke, who took it willingly around his shoulders. As Naruto ate, Sasuke examined him.

Naruto was tired—and maybe even nervous. Even though Sasuke himself knew Jiraiya for a brilliant scientist, Naruto had nothing more to go off of than one encounter, one phone call, and a great deal of hear-say.

"You don't need to be nervous." He said, and judging by the surprised look he received back, he had hit the mark. Naruto swallowed a piece of the bread and frowned.

"Easy for you to say. After this week I'll know how and why my friends deceived me."

Sasuke was surprised to hear him say this. So far, Naruto had refused to admit that his friends were responsible for his current situation.

But now, Naruto seemed to be resolute.

"So you believe it now?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto shrugged.

"I figure I should try…so if it does turn out that way, I won't feel as unprepared."

Sasuke snorted. Another perfect example of blonde logic.

"Sasuke—what's that?" Sasuke turned to Naruto and followed his vision. There was something small and very narrow coming their way, drifting through the air like a half-soaked piece of paper. It soared like a kite, violently jerking with the breeze, beady eyes glued to Naruto's figure.

Sasuke frowned as he recognized the creature, and he rolled his eyes as it pelted straight into the ground between them.

"Oh my God." Naruto said, eyeing the lump of discombobulated feathers. "Is that—"

"Jeffrey! You found them!" From ahead of them a familiar figure buckled through the foliage, racing down the path like a marathon runner. Rock Lee was grinning wildly, waving towards Naruto and Sasuke, who both glared rather preemptively.

It wasn't before he noticed the condition of his bird that the smile faded, replaced by a wide eyed stare of disbelief.

"Jeffrey!" He cried and he bolted in between the duo, prying the bird up from the ground and shaking him to life.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that thing's not blind?"

Lee laughed nervously as he ran a hand over the creature's ruffled tuff of fore-hair and sighed. It was immobile, but by Lee's expression this was a common mishap.

"He's not blind." He said firmly, only to add, "He's far sighted."

Naruto's eyes grew wide and he glanced at Sasuke who gave him an irritated frown. He wasn't one for animals—and he found it especially hard to deal with overly energetic people. Rock Lee was one of the few he managed to tolerate, but only because he was a world class martial artist and had several connections.

As the bird came to, Rock Lee set him on his shoulder, smiling brightly at the duo.

"Jiraiya told me to keep an eye out for you guys. I'm glad that all five of you have arrived here safely."

There was a pause. "Five?" Sasuke and Naruto commented together.

Lee motioned for them to follow him and they did, happy about being so close to the reservation.

"Hatake Kakashi and Hyuuga Neji are here as well. They arrived a few hours ago. They were worried about you both."

Naruto nodded and Sasuke felt pleased that Kakashi had found Neji.

"Who is the last one?" Naruto asked, and Lee laughed. "Oh! Akimichi Chouji. He's been asleep ever since he arrived."

Naruto bit his lip and eyed Sasuke. "Do you think Shikamaru's alright?"

Sasuke seemed to think briefly before responding.

"Hinata will protect him if anything happens."

Naruto frowned. That wasn't the answer he had been hoping for.

Rock Lee took the lead of their group, sauntering down the gravel path with a hyper enthusiasm. The further they walked the more like farmland the surroundings became, and Naruto felt slightly homesick. He had been living in the city for nearly three months now and he had begun to forget about what Colorado had been like before.

Sasuke could tell that Naruto was growing more and more anxious. He was beginning to fidget with the wrapper of his sandwich and his eyes were running laps around the cornfield that bordered their trail. He sighed.

The small adobe huts of Nivae came into view and Lee turned and smiled at the two guests.

"We're here."

He picked up his pace and jogged towards the hut, eager to announce the duo's arrival. Sasuke saw Naruto pause and stopped alongside him, pulling the backpack high on his shoulders.

"What is it now?"

Naruto took a deep breath. "I'm nervous."

Sasuke ruffled Naruto's hair and took hold of his hand, yanking him forward.

"Come on, already." Naruto followed him inside.

* * *

She twisted a long clump of hair around her finger, surprised at how smooth the texture was. She hadn't washed it for a couple days, and she was beginning to feel hot and dirty. She stood up and paced the room, wondering when he would come. 

It couldn't be long, she thought.

She opened the massive oak door to her closet and pulled out a few dresses, debating on which one to wear. She paid no attention to the man who gazed at her from across the room, eyeing her suspiciously. She found it interesting that they had replaced Kakashi with such a weak adult, but she shrugged it off. It was their fault for underestimating her.

Her fingers fumbled over a short black dress with a pale tunic sweater, and she changed clothes. She never bothered to change in privacy anymore, simply because it didn't matter. All of the men were gay, anyway.

Turning to the new officer to her house arrest, she smiled prettily.

"How does it look?" She loved messing with them. None of them really cared about her, and all of them viewed her like the plague. Even Kakashi—but that was to be expected.

He had _seen_ her, after all.

She twisted like a ballerina and pulled her hair into a high and messy bun. A few strands enveloped the gentle curve of her face and she knew that she looked attractive, even if the man across the room only got a rise out of male anatomy. She smiled and sat down on the edge of her bed, ignoring the fact the man didn't answer. He looked calm and placid, and extremely tired.

Sakura thought to herself.

He had been with her for nearly two days now, with not one wink of sleep. Kakashi had obviously gone somewhere—and the fact they hadn't switched out guards meant that Sasuke was away as well. She furrowed her eyebrows and rolled onto her stomach.

"So where have Kakashi and Sasuke gone to?" She twisted her head to the guard, his pale features lightening into a surprised flush. She almost laughed.

The man grunted and settled back into his chair, pulling his arms up to re-tie a ponytail in the back. He was young—younger than Kakashi, and his features and attitude were definitely more feminine than her usual grey-haired surveyor. She briefly wondered if they were lovers, but she shoved the thought away.

"You know, a mother could get lonely cooped up in here…without seeing her child."

This seemed to bring a new well of emotion from the guard and he let out a piercing bark. "You're not going anywhere near that boy."

Sakura's face soured and she rolled onto her back, pushing herself up into a sitting position. She glared at him and pushed her feet over the edge of the bed, now sitting directly in front of the figure.

"We'll see." She said, and a muffled cry sounded from outside of the door. She turned and smiled. "We will definitely see about that."

The guard stood up as a loud crash echoed through the outer hall, and he gripped his gun holster as the door slid open, as if the lock had been picked.

He gasped, but not before he felt the stinging pain of a bullet pierce his stomach. He fell to the floor and Sakura wandered over to the rescuer.

"It's about time you got here."

There was a moment of silence before she sighed and exited the room.

"I think I've lived here long enough."

* * *

A/N--> Dun dun dun... 

Okay...I think I messed up the last chapter...you never realize these things until people review. Like Naruto's dream...it wasn't supposed to be a plot turn or anything, just a moment between Naruto and Sasuke where Sasuke thinks, "Awe, Naruto had a bad dream and called out my name."

But now that so many of you are fond of it, I'll have to try and stick it in there somewhere. I'm blind to my own devices! Hahaha.

Well, I also want to repeat how happy I was you guys liked the preview for my next story. It's always sad when fics end and I guess I wanted to plant a seed of hope for some more of my stuff. I know my author page can be misleading because a few of my stories are discontinued but it's just because I've never plotted out stories before this one. It makes it WORLDS easier, trust me. That way, at least if I get bored with a story, I can still finish it for everyone else.

Anywho, it's been a couple weeks since I've talked about teh real Naruto, and in all honesty, I've really been freaking out.

**SPOILERS**

I can't believe Naruto and Sasuke are about to meet again...but this time I have this really big hope that maybe they'll fight together against Itachi...I just don't even know. I feel like something is about to make them closer than ever before...simply because of all of the history and the fact Jiraiya's basically given him the key to his own seal. I mean, whoa. Naruto's got even more power than I originally thought if he can handle _that_ responsibility...Any guesses on what's gonna happen?

**END SPOILERS**

Aside from that, sorry, no Bob preview today. I'll put it up on Sunday. I'm writng the perfect one right now in the second chapter and I want to wait.

Well, luv luv. See you all on Sunday!


	33. Going Back

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments**: Thank you for all of your reviews and story alerts! Chapter 38 complete. Three or four left to go!

* * *

**Chapter 33: Going Back**

Naruto had never seen a warehouse so enormous.

In all of his life—in every stocking or labor job he had worked—he had never been inside a room so deep and jam-packed with machinery. He felt his eyes grow wide and he swallowed, noting that the electronic devices that blanketed the underground studio reminded him of a field trip he had once taken to NASA—only much more cluttered and disorganized.

He stepped forward, the first of the six people to do so, and ran his fingers across a spiral bound notebook that was teetering on the ledge of a nearby desk. He lifted it and thumbed through the pages, realizing that it was a scientific journal. Turning to the group he shook his head.

"This is amazing. How does something like this," he emphasized his point by motioning the length of the room, "exist under an eco village?"

Lee stepped forward, breaking through the small ring of on-lookers that Chouji, Neji, and Sasuke created.

"Jiraiya is a man who gets what he wants." Lee replied.

The group gaped at the monstrosity of a laboratory, none of them prepared to step inside. The floor was littered with documents and drawings and the closest desks to them were beleaguered with leftovers and trash. Pay stubs and plastic bottles overpowered an extremely thin wastebasket near the doorway and a few devices under assembly were scattered on the floor.

"It's filthy." Sasuke said and his expression showed a great amount of disgustin the fact. Lee almost laughed before he stumbled over what appeared to be a fax machine buried under a blanket, catching himself instinctively on the edge of the table. He turned and smiled at them weakly.

"Yeah, it's always been this way."

Naruto was used to messy places. For one thing, he was a college student and he was also male. He had also experienced a great deal of disorganization in the laboratories he had visited in the past—all cluttered with documents and scattered with dismantled objects dissected for parts. It was almost reminiscent of his old life.

As he stepped further into the jungle of scientific activity, he lifted another notebook, letting his eyes jog loosely over the cover.

_Valentin Glushko—Engineering and Empire_

Naruto raised an eyebrow. He had heard that name before.

From beside him Sasuke finally approached, his eyes narrow and his stance firm. He peered over Naruto's shoulder at the book and then turned back impatiently to Neji.

"Are you sure about all of this?" He asked, and Neji paced up to the duo with a very stern expression on his face.

"I've already told you—whatever is going on reaches much higher than my department. To be honest, Jiraiya is probably one of the few people we can depend on right now." Neji had explained his encounter with the federal officers when Naruto and Sasuke had first arrived, and Kakashi had managed to take the opportunity to leave. Naruto was under the impression that his dispersal had something to do with Sakura, but he hadn't asked. It was obvious to him that the subject of his ex-fiancée was very touchy and he was nervous for whatever information Jiraiya had prepared for him.

"This place reminds me of home." Naruto said absently, running his hands over a broken typewriter. Sasuke snorted.

"Well, if that's the case, it's a blessing you got sent here."

Naruto rolled his eyes and turned when an unexpected sound rumbled from the doorway. As he peered up he recognized the pale older figure, tall and heavyset with hidden intelligence behind playful eyes.

"Jiraiya." He said, and Sasuke drew him in closer, almost protectively.

Lee had turned almost immediately and was saluting, grinning wildly at the new arrival.

"Jiraiya—it has been a while, sir!"

The older man laughed and looked down, eyeing Chouji who was still standing near the frame of the door. The smaller boy glanced up and flushed tomato red.

"I-it's…an h-honor…" He mumbled, and this caused Jiraiya to chuckle even louder than before. He ruffled Chouji's hair and stalked forward, making his way towards Naruto.

"I'm sorry that I'm late. As all of you already know—getting past the feds has become a real challenge."

He made his way past the group and turned into a small inlet. They entered what appeared to be a small conference room. Jiraiya bustled around the room and shoved piles of paperwork and newspapers onto the floor, revealing a circular table and about ten chairs. He sat down and breathed in deep, waiting for the others to follow his lead.

Feeling slightly out of place Naruto tooka seat in between Sasuke and Neji. Lee planted himself beside Jiraiya and Chouji sat shyly next to Neji, the whole experience making him giddy. Sasuke was the first to speak.

"I'm assuming you know much more than you're letting on." He said, his tone skeptical. Naruto was surprised to hear it sound so brash, especially when Jiraiya was as respected as he was.

Jiraiya laughed and put his hands behind his head. He leaned back into his chair and propped his feet onto the table, ignoring the looks of disapproval that crossed both Sasuke and Neji's faces.

"Ah. Most likely. But seeing as we have a limited amount of time, we won't have an opportunity to cover it all."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Limited amount of time?"

Lee leaned forward, his face becoming more serious than usual. "If the feds are involved, Fang isn't wasting their time. Whatever their next move is—they're about to make it."

The old man nodded to Lee's comment and rocked back and forth in his chair like a child. Naruto vaguely wondered where all of his energy came from, especially under the circumstances, but he fended the thought off. Instead, he asked a different question.

"You said on the phone that you had a surprise?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow from beside him, obviously unaware of that particular comment, and Neji leaned forward, intrigued as well.

"Yes, but first I should tell you a few things."

He grunted and then continued.

"I was the one who found Sakura when she arrived two years ago. She was alone at the time—"

"Not true. She said that she arrived with Kiba and he stole something very valuable from her."

Jiraiya glared at Lee and licked his lips. "Yes, Lee, I was getting there."

There was a pause and Naruto felt himself frown, even though it was information he had already accepted. The old man continued.

"Aside from that, you mentioned Sarutobi when we met before. He was your instructor, wasn't he?"

Naruto nodded but he felt confused.

"Sarutobi came here a long, long time ago. We met accidentally…and to be truthful, I had no idea that he was from the past."

Naruto knelt forward and placed his chin on his wrist. How could Sarutobi have come to the future? It didn't make any sense.

"He and I spoke and he explained a great deal about you and your thesis to me, especially when he learned about the imbalanced ratio of men and women. He seemed to think that with your knowledge of preservation it would be possible to maintain the integrity of superfluidity, therefore making it possible to—"

"Choose your child's gender." Naruto finished. He had never thought about that possibility until now, and his mind was beginning to open.

"Wait—did he come before or after you found Sakura?"

Jiraiya leaned forward, his expression grim. "Before." He shook his head.

"When I found her, I _knew_ she was a traveler. It wasn't until she said your name that I grew suspicious—and that's why I put her under confinement here. I was hoping that Sarutobi would contact me…but I haven't seen or heard from him since."

Naruto slammed his fist against the table and nearly growled. "I can't believe this."

From beside him, Sasuke licked his lips. "I told you she was dangerous."

Neji sighed and crossed his arms. "I investigated her as soon as you informed Morino. I never noticed anything too bizarre." His comment was directed towards Jiraiya.

Sasuke snorted. "You became a vice president to stalk Haruno?"

Neji glared and glanced to Jiraiya who looked concerned. "Then you weren't looking hard enough. Even I have heard things—"

"And we'll leave it at that. Like I said, it's well known that she can't be trusted."

Naruto glanced at Sasuke as he finished his curt statement. After a moment, he turned back to Jiraiya.

"There is something that doesn't make sense in your story. It's all fine and dandy that Sarutobi came here—but how on earth did he get back?"

Jiraiya almost laughed. "A good question indeed. And that, my friend, is where my surprise comes in."

The old man turned to the side and withdrew a large binder from the floor, stacking it with a loud thump onto the table. He opened it and revealed a set of drawings, followed by actual photographs of a very shuttle-like vehicle. Naruto gasped.

"You created a—"

"Time machine? Yes. Thanks to Einstein's theory of relativity, I created a machine that can travel faster than the pull of gravity. I'm almost certain that Sakura and her friend stole it from Sarutobi in order to come here."

Naruto gaped. "How is that even possible?"

The old man laughed heartily and shoved the binder towards him. Naruto pegged through the pages with a keen interest and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You understand this chicken scratch?"

Naruto nodded quickly and bit his lip. "Yeah. The theory of relativity is all about defying gravity. If this machine can go faster than the speed of sound, it will break the limits of circular time, making it linear." Naruto's voice was getting giddy. "Look, with something like this—"

"Yes, I know. And that's why I am in hiding. Many people could make bad use of my invention and I intend on protecting it."

There was a short pause and he continued.

"But first, I think that it's about time we all figure out what exactly happened before you came here. Without that knowledge, we're as good as sitting ducks."

There was another pause and Chouji shifted comfortably, content with being apart of the situation. Lee looked intensely focused and Neji appeared rather thoughtful.

"So we're going to the past using your time machine?" Sasuke ventured, his voice sounding slightly cynical. Naruto jabbed him and the raven glared.

"Not 'we'. Two of you. The Gamabunta can only transport two people."

"Hmmm." Lee said, and Chouji held up his hands. "Me going would be pointless."

Sasuke glared at the older man before asking a pertinent question. "Are we sure this machine works?"

Jiraiya nodded. "It worked for Sarutobi."

"You don't know that—you said for yourself that you never heard from him again."

Naruto interrupted the small argument. "Look, Sarutobi was there the day I blacked out…that means he had to have come back safely...because he left before the night of my party."

There was a pause and Naruto spoke again. "Obviously _I_ am going."

Neji and Sasuke glared at Lee who frowned. "Though it would be very exciting, this situation is yours."

The two glared at each other and Neji ventured a comment.

"I believe that I would be best merely because my job involves interaction with people in Naruto's situation. It would be easier for me to…well, adapt."

Sasuke's expression was intimidating, but Naruto could tell that Neji was making a practical decision. He could also see that Sasuke believed the same thing and so he wasn't surprised when Sasuke sat back in his chair, a look of capricious defeat on his lips.

"Fine."

Jiraiya clapped his hands together and smiled. "Well, that was easier than expected. I'll need some time to explain how everything works, Naruto—and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we need to get some rest. The departure will be tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock. Agreed?"

There was a small rush of nods before everyone began to stand up, Naruto turned towards the older man but Jiraiya waved a hand to him.

"Go and get some rest. We'll talk later." Jiraiya seemed to glance at Sasuke as he said this. From across the table, Lee chanced a comment.

"I suppose you all want to be taken to your rooms, right?**"** He said thoughtfully.  
"They aren't very big, but they will do." He shuffled out of the room and drifted towards the main door, leading them all up a familiar narrow staircase. They exited into the den of Gai's home and Lee pointed down a narrow hallway.

"I'm sure you remember, but your rooms are down this corridor." Lee motioned towards Neji and Chouji. The duo had been at the Nivae compound a while before Sasuke and Naruto had arrived and it made sense that they were already fairly settled.

Lee lead the two out of Gai's house and into the afternoon sunlight to his own small house, where he showed them both to a connected pair of guest rooms. They were both very small, but Naruto and Sasuke thanked Lee before turning to each other, worn out form the information overload of the day. Naruto opened the door to his room and was surprised when Sasuke entered after him.

"I—wha—?"

Sasuke closed the door and collapsed onto Naruto's bed, massaging his temples idly.

"I'm worried about this entire situation." He said and Naruto climbed next to him, enjoying the feeling of simply lying down and doing nothing. He sighed.

"It seems like something out of a book." Naruto said. "I mean, how many people can say, 'I'm going to the past tomorrow'?"

Sasuke continued. "But…I am glad, too."

The blonde glanced down and raised an eyebrow. "How's that?"

Sasuke looked up to him intently. "You're still going to help my brother, right?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah…I never break my promises, after all. I just need to find out how that contraption works."

Naruto flipped over so that he and Sasuke were lying side-by-side on the bed, and he sighed.

"I want to know why." He murmured.

"Hn."

"I never did anything to deserve this from them."

Sasuke glanced over to Naruto who was staring with a distant integrity at the adobe thatch of the ceiling.

There was a long pause before Sasuke spoke.

"Please. Be safe."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Sasuke, surprised at how much emotion he saw in the man's eyes. Naruto smiled in return and folded his hands behind his head.

"I promise. After all, I have you to come back to, right?"

A pause.

"Hn."

* * *

The next morning was intense and hectic. Neither Naruto nor Sasuke hadn't been able to sleep—a fact that made 'getting up' at 5 o'clock a more tumultuous task than expected. They were both pale and lethargic despite the anxiety and excitement that encompassed the large shuttle room of Jiraiya's base. Sasuke was quiet and irritable which made Naruto nervous.

"You should lighten up. You make it seem like I'm never coming back."

Sasuke grunted and plopped himself into a comfy work chair, glancing up to the blonde with uncertainty. He frowned.

"Are you sure you understand all of Jiraiya's instructions?" He asked for the umpteenth time.

Naruto shook the plump spiral memo pad in his hand and nodded confidently. He glanced at the Gamabunta and felt his heart squeeze, although from excitement or fear he wasn't sure.

"Trust me—if anyone can figure out this man's scribbles, it's me." The statement was truthful. Naruto had understood the old man's notes perfectly at first glance while Sasuke and Neji had only glared impotently. Sometimes the knowledge of the blonde surprised Sasuke, and now was one of those times.

From behind them Neji came forward, for the first time wearing clothes that Naruto deemed appropriate for the early 21st century. He grinned.

"People only wear T-shirts?" The pretty boy asked, and Naruto nodded. Neji looked displeased. "And these pants are too loose—they're going to fall off."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and Naruto chuckled. "In my time, everything's about the imagination."

Neji pulled the outer hems of his pant legs and glared upward, resembling a ballerina doing a curtsy. He looked annoyed.

From behind them Jiraiya sifted away from the contraption, dusting imaginary dust from his hands. He glanced over at Naruto and Neji and he nodded lightly.

"Are you two ready?"

Neji nodded and stepped forward first, approaching the bullet shaped metallic vehicle. It was white and glossy and practically untouched, and the officer stepped inside. Naruto turned to Sasuke however and peered down.

"I'll be back in no time." He said, and Sasuke stood up, almost as if he were going to hug him. Naruto followed the raven's gaze upward and grinned in an attempt to lighten the Uchiha's mood.

Sasuke knelt down and brushed his lips across Naruto's and the blonde pulled back quickly, his eyes widening. They settled momentarily, as if he had grown accustomed to Sasuke's intimate behavior. He shook his head.

"You're impossible." He sighed and turned around, fully prepared for the journey ahead of him. He could sense Sasuke's lingering gaze and he shook it off.

Whether it was concern of friendship or concern of love, he was grateful to have it. In the end, having someone to trust and depend on was always the most valuable asset to life.

Naruto settled in next to Neji and took one last look at Jiraiya before the capsule door was closed. They were seated in two upright padded seats with an entire consul of devices, buttons, and levers before them. Naruto lifted the spiral notebook to his eye level and flipped it open to the first page. He read it slowly while Neji buckled the both of them in, adjusting the temperature and oxygen gauge before him. After a moment, Naruto set the book down.

"Alright, this should be a piece of cake. Just like driving a stick—only we're going up and then forward instead of just forward."

"Driving a what?" Neji looked confused.

"A manual. A stick-shift. A car where you have to change the gears yourself." Naruto fiddled with the lever in front of him, amazed at how well Jiraiya's instructions guided him. From beside him Neji sat back, looking slightly dejected. He was used to being in control and in this situation, it was obvious that Naruto who knew best what to do.

The machine revved to a start, a full-fledged groan escaping the undercarriage beneath them. Naruto sat back in the seat, taking a deep breath. Though he trusted Jiraiya because of his friendship with Sarutobi, he couldn't help but wonder if the entire situation was a ploy. It was difficult for him to accept that he was sitting in a time machine and about to go back in time…back to the twenty-first century no less. It felt like a vacation to a foreign country.

He pulled a gear down and his heart hammered against his ribcage as the contraption willed itself upwards at a very slow pace. He felt his foot navigate towards a pedal, one that controlled the strength of the emission that exited through the rear, ultimately controlling the speed of the device. He pulled the gear lower and pressed his foot down, hissing as the Gamabunta soared into the air, exited through a manmade trap door on the surface of the release room.

The machine itself had no windows, only a small elevation chart that mimicked different colors for different layers of elevation. He eased up on the pedal, ignoring the strained expression on Neji's face **as** the boy gripped the handles of the side seat wearily.

"Don't worry. I promise I won't kill us." The blonde laughed and struggled to settle his own nerves. Judging from the charts, they were nearly 300 feet in the air and stillclimbing. He sighed. It would be better to travel as far up as possible to get further from gravity's pull. He pressed down the foot lever and pulled a second gearshift, accelerating their speed. He could hear the low rumble of the carbon engine beneath them and could smell the combined sulfuric gases that were giving them suchbout of power.

As they neared a couple hundred miles, Neji adjusted the oxygen to match the climbing pressure. Naruto loosened his grip on the pedal, lifting the gears. Using a side lever, he redirected the engine spout, preparing to lead the machine forward. He allowed the machine to hover momentarily while he examined the small information booklet, titling it sideways so that Neji could inspect it as well. The dark-haired boy frowned.

"The D Compressor? Yeah, I have no idea."

Naruto laughed. "Alright, this is what it's telling us to do. The D Compressor is the fourth gearshift. We need to reach a triple momentum speed before this clock," he motioned towards a digital reading, "It says that five minutes have passed."

Neji nodded. Naruto set down the book.

"So sit back. It's going to be bumpy."

Neji obeyed and Naruto followed his own advice, melting into his seat as he pulled the first gear down. He floored the acceleration level and grunted as the machine shot forward, causing his head to bounce against the white leather cushioning of the headrest.

The intonation of the vehicle's growl was climbing, indicating the need to switch to second gear. He released the gas lightly, pulled down a lever to his left, and jammed the second gear downward. Clenching his teeth against the pressure he floored the gas again, his eyes stinging as the momentum of the machine grew. It was becoming harder to breath and Naruto hazarded a guess that they were traveling at nearly 800 or 900 miles an hour. Not fast enough.

"Neji." Naruto ground out. "More oxygen."

Neji's hand sifted forward to turn the gauge, his eyes closed and his breathing constricted. He was nervous—putting his life in Naruto's hands. Naruto ran the information form the booklet through his mind again, positive they he was doing everything correctly. The engines began to hum and he quickly shifted into third gear, making sure his foot pedal was grinding into the floor of to vehicle in order to gain the most speed.

He looked at the clock. Three minutes left. One more gear to go.

He listened for a clue form the engine on when to shift but he couldn't hear over the roaring wind outside. The lights began to flicker on and off and he was grateful that the clock and neededwere connected to an outside generator. He felt the engine vibrate under his seat and honed in on it, hoping it would give him the release he needed to shift.

Two minutes.

He couldn't feel it. They weren't accelerating anymore, just free floating forward at an steady speed. He growled and yanked the side panel down, jamming the fourth gear down with his free hand. He felt a new pressure edge behind the ball of his foot and he forced it down, wondering why the fourth gear was the hardest to ride. He hardly had time to think before the engine seemed to crackle and boom, sending the inside of the contraption into a completedarkness.

The pressure was suddenly gone. Naruto gasped as he sat up, Neji coughing at his side. It was as if they had stopped—but they couldn't have. Naruto's foot was still pressing forth their acceleration.

He almost laughed. He couldn't believe it. They were going so fast that it was as if they weren't moving at all.

He reached over Neji and pumped the oxygen gauge, knowing fully well that even though it seemed as if there was no pressure, it had in fact tripled. He pulled out the manual and quickly flipped through it, typing a few directory times into the electronic station fueled by the generator in front of them.

The machine groaned and hitched and Naruto felt the pedal give beneath him. He breathed in hard as his stomach rose in his chest, a feeling of dropping overwhelming his senses. He felt bile rise in his throat and stifled a struggled gasp.

They were falling—like the engine had died. Neji was becoming as panicky as he would allow, examining the buttons of the machine through the darkness. Naruto opened the book and then it hit him. They weren't falling—time was catching up.

He put a hand across Neji's chest and eased him back against the seat in a calm manner. It was his way of, without speaking, letting Neji know that everything was going accordingly.

The urgent and pounding sensation of falling came to a sudden halt, and at once, all of the gears slid open. The lights flickered back on and the doors sifted open, as if signaling their arrival.

Naruto hurriedly unbuckled himself from the machine and rolled out, collapsing to the ground in a fit of heaving coughs. His head was pounding from the sudden feel of motion sickness, and he wasn't sure if he was going to throw up. He kept his eyes clenched closed as he buried himself into his arms, focusing on his breathing. Even though his eyes were closed, he could see and orange blur of sunlight from behind his eyelids and he felt the dry radiation pulsing through his back. From behind him, he heard Neji shuffle forward.

"Oh my God." Was the boy's reply.

Naruto felt the spasm of sickness slowly pass and he wiped his mouth. He peered upwards and realized what Neji was so amazed by.

"Oh yeah. You guys don't have mountains, do you?"

A giant cleft of purple horizon stretched before them, white rimmed and splotched with lush green and yellow vegetation. It was in the distance, but Naruto knew that it was the Rocky Mountains of Coloradothey were peering at.

He stood up and breathed deep, rubbing the back of his head. Turning to Neji, he almost grinned at the perplexed look on the officer's face.

"It's beautiful." He said and held his arm out as if to touch the distance with a graze of his finger.

Naruto turned back to the vehicle and frowned, trying to organize a train of action in his mind. From behind them there was a whizzing noise and Naruto realized they were right next to an interstate. A van drifted by, three kids staring intently out of the window at the giant metallic machine that he and Neji had used. Naruto sighed.

First, hide the Gamabunta.

Second, find a way to get to Boulder.

"Hey," Naruto turned to Neji, "I know this is new to you and all, but could you help me out?"

Neji turned to him and flushed. "Yeah."

After all,it was very clear they had a time limit.

* * *

**A/N-->** Man, another info-ey chapter.

But guess what happens in the next chapter...Lies and secrets revealed! Well, a few at least.

Please continue to** R&R.**

**REAL NARUTO (SPOILERS)**

::gasp::

Jiraiya, _what _did you do?

::shakes head::


	34. Complications of the Past, Part 1

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of the favorite author and favorite story listings! Of course I appreciate all of my faithful reviewers as well--especially now that I'm getting close to writing the end. But there'll be a sequel so it's hardly anything to cry over! Hahaha.

Oh, and I would have waited to update tomorrow but my new class schedule has me at school Tues. and Thurs. I'll leave a new update guide at the bottom.

And now, the chapter you've all been waiting for...(well, one at least)

* * *

**Chapter 34: Complications of the Past, Part 1**

"This thing drives on gasoline, doesn't it?" Neji ventured, edging back nervously in his seat. The low rumble of the bus engine groaned beneath the metal hull of the flooring, nudging lulling vibrations up through the cushioned charter bus seats. Neji glanced around the vehicle warily, obviously not used to public transportation.

"It's not going to explode." Naruto assuredas he settled into his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. He rolled his head to the side and smiled at the Hyuuga, willing the older man to ease up and relax.

"Besides, we're almost in Denver. After we get there, it will be another hour to Boulder." Naruto drew the small RTD Bus schedule from his backpack and studied it carefully before frowning. Turning to his left he tapped the person adjacent to him—an old woman with thick spectacles and a scrunched nose.

"Excuse me, ma'am. What is today's date?" Naruto smiled with all of his charm, feeling more confident now that he was in his own territory. The older woman twisted a thick foe-pearl necklace around her fingers and licked her lips. Leaning closer she replied.

"I believe that it is Friday the twenty-fourth." She sounded astute and adjusted her glasses against the brim of her nose. Naruto thanked her and returned to his seat. He glanced at Neji who looked disturbed.

"I've never seen an old womanbefore." He remarked and Naruto almost laughed.

"Well, if I remember correctly, the party should be tomorrow night. We should find Sakura as soon as possible…" His voice faded as memories of he and Sakura's past drifted through. He would have never imagined that he would be going to catch her in the act of deceiving him. He smiled sadly, and noticing Neji's concerned look, decided to change the subject.

"We were really lucky to have landed in Central City. If we hadn't, we wouldn't have had these casino buses to get us back into the main part of town."

Neji nodded, albeit reluctantly. He honestly had no clue how old Colorado worked and was beginning to understand how Naruto felt when he had first arrived in the future.

"Why is it called Central City if it isn't the capital?" The Hyuuga asked, and Naruto shrugged.

"Well, it is the gambling capital of Colorado. That should count for something."

Neji rose and eyebrow and slouched in his seat, becoming strangely aware that a young child was eyeing him from in between the seats in front of him. He glared caustically and the child stuck out its tongue, darting away from the tiny split. The older man sighed. He had definitely not imagined the past to be this way, and wondered just what Naruto's life had been like.

In all reality, he had never seen so many people. Even the bus was jam packed—and with all types of people. All nationalities, all ages, and a collection of different languages. His eyes drifted outwards as they sifted through a small city, and crowds thronged the streets outside what Naruto had labeled a shopping mall. He narrowed his eyes.

It wasn't the amount of people, he decided. It was the number of women. He had met a few in his lifetime, mostly bridal candidates from exclusive families—but never had he seen so many of them. They were with men, in groups on their own, and a good majority had small children. It made him feel awkward. What happened to this time?

He had been raised under the assertion that the population was beginning to dwindle—but here, there was so much life. Everyone was smiling and everyone was dressed modestly. It was surprising to him, though for reasons unknown. Taking a small breath, he turned to Naruto.

"Would you…tell me about your life?"

Naruto looked surprised but he smiled. "Um, sure. What would you like to know?"

Neji turned his eyes downward in thought, but Naruto understood. "This is all really different for you, isn't it? I bet you're thinking, 'this must be how Naruto felt'."

Neji glanced forward and nodded, and Naruto began to speak.

"Well, I'm not sure what you want to hear, but I'll just tell you some things about myself and see if they compare."

The bus slowed to grind over a speed bump, and Naruto cleared his throat.

"I didn't have any parents growing up. I stayed in foster care for most of my childhood and as soon as I turned 16 the government tossed me out on my own. I got a job and saved up for college—met Sakura and Kiba in high school—along with some other friends—and we all went to college together. A lot of my friends from high school got married straight away and had kids—it's not that uncommon here—but for Sakura and I education was more important."

Neji looked up when Naruto stopped and he asked a question. "There are a lot of people here." He said. "And so much land."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I think right now must be when overpopulation was beginning. There are a lot of people…but this is nothing compared to my campus. You'll be surprised at how many people you'll see up there. It's like a zoo."

Neji raised an eyebrow and Naruto explained. "Um, a place where you go to look at wild animals?"

Neji's eyes widened. "That sounds completely stupid."

"It's actually pretty cool." Naruto ground out, but he decided to let the insult pass. The bus was slowing to a stop and Naruto glanced out the window, taking in the familiar surroundings. He jumped up.

"Ah—here. We're at 16th Street. Let's get off here." He grabbed his pack and held his hand out for Neji, lifting the officer form his seat. They both wheedled past the diverse bus horde and stepped out into the crowded outdoor mall area. Neji leaned back and examined the sky rise buildings—not nearly as tall as the ones he was used to.

"Your buildings have such detailed architecture." He commented, and Naruto put a hand above his eyes like a visor, trying to remember where he wanted to go.

"Yeah, you're stuff is really postmodern." He answered shortly, before pointing towards capital hill.

"Hey, let's go this way. I know you don't like the bus so I'm going to try and borrow a friend's car."

When Neji didn't answer Naruto turned, completely shocked to find Neji eyeing an attractive young man in passing. Naruto quickly jerked him forward and frowned.

"Um, not here, okay? Homosexuality isn't all that accepted yet, alright?"

Neji looked irritated but nodded. Naruto sighed and shook his head. Inner cities were always strange places and for the most part, known for sidewalk brawls. He wasn't much of a fighter, and even though he had barely managed to escape Gaara, he didn't feel like pushing his luck again.

He began up the grassy knoll of the Capital building, Neji close behind, and caught sight of a small clump of older studio apartments buried behind it. He hitched forward and crossed the street, Neji impatiently striding beside him. A group of girls walked by and gave Neji the up-down and he flushed, not entirely sure how to react.

Naruto seemed almost completely oblivious to the advances they both were receiving, which Neji thought strange. In the future, Neji had always felt the need to defend him—but here, he seemed perfectly able to take care of himself.

They crossed another side street and Naruto jogged up a few preamble stairs, motioning Neji up behind him. The sun beat down hot onto the pavement and Neji readjusted his ponytail, scanning the area with a practiced gaze. In his own time he would have been able to tell who was dangerous—but in this time, he had no idea. Everyone looked suspicious.

Naruto pressed a small buzzer and a voice rang through an intercom.

"Yes." It was short, low, and simple. Neji glanced up, his lip curling in a trivial gesture. Who answered an intercom with only one word?

"Ah, Shino—it's me...I have a favor…"

There was a long pause.

"I'll be down momentarily."

The buzzer clicked off and Naruto scratched the back of his head, grinning like a wildcat. It had been a very long time since he had seen his old friend, and even though Shino had always been closer with Kiba, the short-spoken man had always treated Naruto like a younger brother.

Naruto walked down the staircase and stood next to Neji who looked completely baffled. From above them a man exited, his entire being blanketed with an oversized winter coat. Neji felt his lips purse as he realized the character was wearing very odd looking glasses, and he decided that he would ask later.

"Shino!" Naruto said, and he bounded up the stairs to greet his friend. It felt like it had been years—his heart hurt—but he held back the swell of emotions that were rushing from him. He had to play it cool. He was on a mission, after all.

Shino frowned as he glanced down at Neji, his eyebrows creasing over the lens of his circular frames. "Who is that?" He questioned, and Neji raised an eyebrow and retorted.

"A friend. Do you have a problem?"

Naruto's eyes widened and he choked out a laugh, wondering why Neji was becoming so defensive. He turned to Shino before the taller man could answer.

"Can I borrow your car?" He pleaded. It may have been a while, but he knew how to work his childhood buddy. Shino raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to yours?"

Naruto hadn't thought his story out this far. He struggled for an explanation.

"Well, you see…It's a long story, and…"

"This doesn't have anything to do with Sakura, does it?" Shino questioned, and Naruto licked his lips.

"Wha—huh? No, I mean—"

"Because she said she's need it for tomorrow night…"

"Oh, "Naruto remembered. "The party."

Shino glared at him. "You know about it? She said it would be a surprise."

Naruto struggled for an explanation. Damn, he wasn't good at this. One person in and he had already crashed his cause. He stuttered.

"N-no, I mean…I found out but don't tell Sakura. She doesn't know that…I know."

Shino snorted and glanced down at Neji who glared back with an equally disturbing enthusiasm.

"Fine." He grabbed his keys from his side pocket and untangled the black incrusted key to his old Chevy. "Don't wreck it."

Naruto nodded and began to turn away before turning back quickly.

"Hey Shino." The older man turned and raised an eyebrow.

"Thank you. Just—I may not have the chance to tell you for a while—you know, what a good friend you've been."

A smile flickered across the man's face before he returned to his building, and Naruto turned to Neji.

"You ready to hit the road?"

Neji rolled his eyes. "Why on earth would I want to do that?"

Naruto sighed. This trip was going to be difficult.

* * *

It was nearly forty-five minutes before both Naruto and Neji made their arrival, and Naruto could tell by the look on his partner's face that his school campus was like nothing he had ever seen before. He pulled into an empty parking space far from the assortment of parked cars, hoping that no one would recognize him. He and Neji had decided that it was most important that no one saw him, most definitely for the sake of preserving the future. Naruto couldn't help but compare his character to that of Marty from Back to the Future and he snickered. Hopefully his situation wouldn't be as complicated, but even though he remained somewhat optimistic, a staple of doubt was still gripping his mind. 

Neji turned to the side in order to face Naruto, his face solemn. He picked up a loose-leaf pad from the slip between his seat and the middle consule and withdrew a pen from the change holder.

"We need to make a plan." He said smoothly and Naruto nodded. Neji spoke again.

"Tell me, in order, how everything should happen today and tomorrow."

"Tonight I'll be finishing the thesis…and then Sakura will come to cheer me up. Tomorrow morning I will have English class, I think, and afterwards I will be with Sakura and Kiba. After that, I will go to the lab and after that to the party."

Neji nodded. Naruto continued.

"Look, this might sound weird but…Sakura and Kiba didn't know about the machine being active until after my English class. Something had to have changed with them after I went to the lab."

Neji nodded. "I see. Alright, until then we should find some place to hide out. It would be best not to draw attention to you—in case anyone realizes that there are two of you wandering around."

Naruto nodded. "I agree, and besides, it's getting late. We should find a hotel."

Naruto leaned back against the driver's seat, admiring the low and sullen hue of orange that graced the happy hour. He turned on the car and spun backwards out of the space and sifted onto a main street, driving only a few blocks before settling into a new parking lot.

Neji tilted his head up to admire the building and frowned. "The Marriott?"

Naruto nodded and got out of the car, lugging his backpack behind him. Aside from basic necessities he had packed a spare outfit, and he saw Neji grab his bag as well. They began to walk towards the entrance and Neji tapped on Naruto's shoulder.

"Will they think that we are a couple?" He questioned.

Naruto shook his head. "Nah. We'll be asking for a two beds."

Neji breathed deep. "I just don't want to cause any trouble for you."

Naruto quipped a trivial look, wondering just what Neji was thinking. Ever since his earlier comment about homosexuality Neji had been acting strange—as if in this time period homosexuality was rewarded with death. Naruto sighed. He would have to clear that one up.

They approached the counter and Naruto stepped forward, all of the practiced saying and questions rolling off his tongue, as if he had only been gone a few weeks. He turned to the receptionist.

"Hello. I need one room, two beds please, for one night." He dug his wallet out of his back pocket, grateful that he had kept it through his whole ordeal. He handed the lady his credit card and she smiled and took down his name. Turning to the left she glanced at Neji and asked for his name.

"Hyuuga Neji." He said out of practice, but misinterpreting her intentions, he quickly added, "But we aren't together."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and peered over at Neji, letting out a nervous laugh. He had never seen Neji act nervous, and he glanced back at the receptionist who was peaceably humming away at her computer. He glanced back at Neji before taking back his credit card and stowing it away in his wallet.

"Room 304. If you need anything, please dial one for reception." She handed him two key cards, and he took them gratefully, turning towards the elevator." Neji followed in suit and Naruto led them to the third floor and then onward to their room. After they entered Naruto threw his bag on the farthest bed, stretching his arms high in the air.

"It feels good to be back." He said, and he peered out the bay window, admiring the blue-green mountains that blanketed the background. From behind him, he heard Neji slide onto the bed, most likely from the overwhelming activities of the day. The Hyuuga was peering up at him though, and with an expression that Naruto couldn't ignore.

"What?" Naruto asked.

Neji shrugged. "You just seem so natural here. It's hard to believe you're not going to stay."

Naruto was quiet for a moment, and his facial features darkened. He pulled the hems of the curtain over the window, blocking out the violent hues of pink and red that flushed the sky. He turned on a light and collapsed onto his bed.

"I was thinking about that, too. But even though I may seem comfortable here…it's not really my home anymore."

Naruto rolled onto his side and curled up, a position that seemed rather feminine for his leadership role throughout the day. He continued.

"I thought to myself, I'll just go back and continue doing what I've always done…I'll finish school, I'll get a job, find a girl…But that's impossible. It wouldn't be the same. It would be like throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime."

Neji examined the blonde, noting how attractive he was. Even though he was intelligent and strong-willed, he was a very diminutive individual. His features were delicate and his skin was smooth and tan and his eyes were always wide and lustrous. He was childlike, in a way—someone seemingly unaffected by the harsh reality that people in the 3000s had to adjust to. He was a new mind—a fresh one, and even though Neji had felt for the younger boy before, he knew now why even the Uchiha seemed so desperate to protect him.

He was beautiful.

"Besides," Naruto interrupted Neji's thoughts, "I made a promise to Sasuke. He's waiting for me. No one is _here_ for me anymore…but Sasuke is there."

Neji inwardly wondered if the blonde realized what he was saying. After all, Neji had been fairly surprised when Naruto had first declared that he was straight, and after all of the dramatic events that had occurred around the blonde boy he had figured the traveler would have stayed resolute.

But he watched the blonde now as his eyes went half-lidded and his lips curled upward, wondering if the boy recognized the creeping expression of happiness that dusted his features. His figure became slightly more childlike, and for the first time Neji recognized just what Naruto was. He wasn't an adult like them—he couldn't be. He didn't know everything that people of the newest millennium did, and he couldn't be expected to. He was young and he was naïve, and on top of that—whether he knew it or not—he was in love.

Neji felt a small smile cross his lips, although it was slightly sad. He didn't know what kind of future Naruto had, especially after the return. Things were bound to get worse before they got better, and even if his mystery ever resolved itself it would ultimately be up to the federal agents of immigration to decide whether or not he was able to stay. He watched as a light flush crossed Naruto's features and he took a deep breath, trying not to think too hard.

He didn't want to ruin that blissful emotion that played across the blonde's face and he didn't want to make himself hurt either. After all, he had been the first to meet Naruto, and he had been the first to find himself attracted to him. He had known that Naruto was off-limits for a long time, as he had found out the day that he had met the blonde boy. His actions, his accent, his features—everything about him screamed 'traveler' to Neji, who was used to all sorts of venturing souls. And just like Sasuke, he had been attracted to the boy's energy, to his situation, to his rarity, and above all of that to his aura.

He had a remarkable ability to pull people in. To make them want to help him. It had nothing to do with the fact he was blonde or attractive—though that did help—but more that his personality begged for social relationships. It was this fact that made Neji stifle a sad smile, wondering how on earth Sasuke could have been the one to evoke his dependence. Sasuke wasn't social by any means—that is, unless he had to be.

From across the room, Naruto blinked. "Are you alright?"

Neji stood up and walked over to Naruto's bed and leaned down so that his face was only a few inches from the blonde's. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What?"

The expression had died from his face and Naruto suddenly looked older again, more mature. Neji peered up.

"Just this once…" Neji said, and he leaned up and kissed Naruto gently on the lips, running a pale hand over the bridge of his cheek. He pulled back lightly, surprised when Naruto didn't push him away, but content that the blonde was glaring at him rather lividly.

"What was that for?" Naruto asked, wiping his lips.

Neji stood up and began to remove his shirt, wandering towards the bathroom.

"Because it just hit me. When we get back, I won't ever get the opportunity to do that again."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Neji disappeared into the bathroom and started the water, anxious for a shower. Inside his mind, he answered Naruto's question.

_Because you already know who you want._

From outside of the bathroom, Naruto snorted. "You guys are all a bunch of perverts."

Neji slid under the cooling jets of water and smiled.

* * *

**A/N-->** Well, they're there, I guess. Part two is the gooood stuff. 

Okay, new schedule. Next update will be on Sunday, as usual, and next update day will be Wed. instead of Thurs. And, if any of you failed to notice...

**Dead Weight** and **Bob** are now posted. At least their prologues are. Go take a look but I do warn, they're very different from Miz Biz.

Thanks and peace!

* * *


	35. Complications of the Past, Part 2

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** OMG, it's here! I bet that's what most of you are thinking...and I'll leave notes at the bottom since I'm sure you're all jumpin' in already.

::laughs::

* * *

**Chapter 35: Complications of the Past, Part 2**

The next morning was hectic, only because Naruto felt extremely nervous. It had taken a good amount of prep talks to bring him to Neji's side, ready to depart from the hotel around nine in the morning. He was anxious and Neji could sense it, though the dark**-**haired boy merely reminded Naruto that the sooner they figured it out, the faster they would be able to return. This had helped to speed along the process, even though it was important to Naruto to figure everything out for himself.

Naruto had donned a hat for the outing, hoping to stick in the shadows where he wouldn't be seen. The real challenge came in being close enough to overhear his friends, and even though it pained him to do so, he hoped that he would hear something to announce their guilt. He just wanted to resolve the situation, not prolong the mystery.

He and Neji stalked to the grassy area outside of the English hall and waited nervouslyin the shade. Neji leaned backwards against the cool cement of the library, arching his body outwards naturally into a position that drew a great deal of attention. Naruto had to glare at him in order for him to settle his subconscious sensual nature, to which Neji had merely smirked. After nearly ten minutes of waiting, Naruto knelt back with him, taking a deep breath.

"Here we come." He said slowly, and Neji turned to see the trio laughing as they walked down the path. After a few moments, Past-Naruto paused, drawing Kiba and Sakura into huddle.

Naruto turned to Neji. "This is when I told them about Sarutobi and the machine."

He remembered the conversation as if it were yesterday, and even over the short distance that separated them he could hear bits of it.

"Naruto…this is a bad idea…" Kiba was saying. Sakura was ignoring him deftly.

"Naruto's in this…for the _both_ of us, you know?" Sakura defended, although the expression on her face was calm and sweet. Kiba had grown louder.

"…make me your partner…"

Naruto saw himself shake his head and Kiba look displeased. The conversation was only a few more minutes before the trio separated, Naruto heading towards the lab and Sakura leading Kiba off by the hand.

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Is that Kiba?"

Naruto started forward, hoping to follow the duo and gather information, and Neji walked briskly beside him. Naruto answered. "Yeah."

They picked up their pace very casually, making sure not to draw attention. In all reality, Naruto actually felt a little lame. Stalking his best friends was awkward enough, but doing it in disguise just made him feel like a cheesy actor in a lame suspense film.

Sakura led Kiba around the corner of Munzinger Hall and stopped rather forcefully. Neji pulled Naruto to the side, hiding both of their figures beneath a high rise of messy foliage. Naruto swallowed and felt his nerves begin to eat away at him. He felt it. This was it.

"You almost told him." Sakura said and her voice was nearly furious. Kiba put his hands in his pockets and glared, his mouth twisting downward in distaste.

"You need to tell him—and stop playing Miss Goody-Two-Shoes. _Before_ his deal goes through."

Sakura frowned and ran a hand through her hair. "And why shouldn't I try and earn anything off of it? I've put up with him for a few years—I deserve some kind of reimbursement."

Kiba glared and bit back a coarse growl. "As if you cheating on him weren't enough, now you consider yourself entitled to his idea?"

Sakura pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked downward and sighed.

"It's not like that…alright?" She played with her engagement ring, fiddling with it around her finger. "Look…I am going to tell him. But just—after tonight. It's his party, you know? He deserves a party that he will never forget."

Kiba raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Whatever—tell him about Mr. Dark and Mysterious or I swear that I will."

Sakura grinned and shook her head. Kiba barked. "What's that look for?"

"You won't tell him," she said sweetly. "Because if you do, I'll tell him about us, too."

Kiba shook his head and looked downward, his expression unreadable. "There _is_ no us. It was one night and I was really drunk. You were sober—you could have stopped it. You should have."

Sakura shook her finger derisively and walked forward. "What's in the past is in the past…I'll see you tonight."

She sauntered off and Kiba stood, running a hand over his head. "Shit." He mumbled. Before too long he walked off, presumably to an afternoon class.

Naruto felt his heart beating fast. It was pounding against his chest.He struggled to control the emotions bubbling underneath the surface. Neji seemed slightly irate, but his attention was calm when he spoke to Naruto.

"Are you alright?"

Naruto nodded, but he knew it was a lie. His heart hurt. He felt as though he had gotten over Sakura long ago, but something still bound them together. He felt as though he had been waiting for the official sever to occur between them—something to finally make him push her away for good. And surprisingly, this was enough. It was as if he didn't need to see them trick him into coming to the future, but that he had gathered everything that he had needed in that one simple conversation.

And Kiba—his best friend since childhood. How could he? And above that, he had been lying—conniving. As if reading his mind, Neji spoke.

"Kiba seemed reluctant."

"Yeah." Naruto managed. Neji frowned.

"We should catch up to Sakura. We still don't know how cryogenics got involved in all of this."

Naruto followed Neji out of the shadows and onto Sakura's trail. His mind was still numb but he focused on the words he had said the day previous. He already knew that this was a home he couldn't return to…so there was no reason for him to feel like he had lost anything. After all—on the day he had woken up in the future, he had lost everything.

Neji rounded a corner and they spotted Sakura, making her way back around towards the science hall. It was odd—she had really gone out of her way to make a full circle. Naruto breathed deep and they caught up, making sure to keep quiet and unnoticed, though will Neji's grueling beauty it was difficult. Naruto let the older man lead them into the science hall, following her in a crowd of students through the halls. She sidetracked into a familiar room and Naruto grimaced. Room 213.

"Sarutobi." He whispered, but Neji caught the faint remark. They slid into place outside of the classroom and leaned in, hoping to hear something. Naruto frowned.

"I'll go in." Neji said. "She doesn't know me. Should I act like a lost student?" He wasn't sure what students in Naruto's time did or didn't do. Naruto thought for a moment. "Just go in and sit down. If she asks, say that you're waiting for Sarutobi for some tutoring."

Neji nodded and disappeared into the classroom, leaving Naruto alone with his thoughts. He wondered what was happening. Sarutobi wasn't inside the room—he knew that. Sarutobi was in the lab and they were commenting on Jinx the cat and his success. And Naruto knew Sakura well enough to know that she didn't have any science classes during this semester. Se was a psychology major, after all, and had finished most of her general education classes early on.

He twiddled his thumbs and lowered his hat, hoping that no one would recognize him. Nearly ten minutes passed before Sakura exited, and Naruto had to whip down the hallway in order for her not to see him. When she disappeared out of the back door Naruto turned around, surprised when Neji found his way out with a bundle of papers in his arms. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"What is all of this?"

"She said she borrowed it from Sarutobi for an assignment. She was putting it into his filing drawers."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "And you knew where to get each one and what they looked like?"

Neji snorted. "There's a reason I'm a highly ranked officer, Naruto."

Naruto nodded and frowned. "I feel bad taking them."

Neji rolled his eyes. "They've already been taken. Now let's go back to the hotel and figure out what they mean before this party of yours."

Naruto nodded lightly, guilt still clawing at his conscious. He led Neji back to the parking lot, walking quickly in order to get away from knowing eyes. A few classmates attempted to say hello to him, but he waved them off impatiently. As soon as they reached the car Naruto swerved into the distance, his emotions strong and irate. He felt hurt and he felt torn.

One thing was certain. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to discover what exactly had happened. And if going through Sarutobi's notes would get them there faster, Naruto was willing and eager.

It had been hours since Naruto and Neji had arrived back at the hotel and Naruto's brain felt fried. Not only were the papers all extremely long, but they were like reading a journal. Long detailed excerpts about using cryogenics to travel to the future and even a few short passages that hinted to Jiraiya's machine that transported Sarutobi back. It all seemed to fit, but only because Naruto knew what he was looking for. Naruto sighed and dropped a scribbled manual on his lap.

"Why would Sakura want any of this? It's not as though she would understand it."

Neji bit his lip and rolled onto his stomach, examining a short hand letter. He frowned as his eyes scanned the words. "I have no idea—I don't even understand this…"

Naruto pushed his pile of read papers into a disorganized lump and looked at the clock. It was almost time for them to leave.

"Look, let's just take the ones we haven't read with us and head out. I should be arriving to the party in about 10 minutes."

Neji nodded lightly and fumbled through some papers, making a neat little stack in his hands. He stood up and picked up his backpack, Naruto following in suit.

"Are you really okay with this?" Neji asked, and Naruto nodded.

"Yeah. This morning was hard…but now I'm prepared."

The older boy seemed to accept this answer as the two of them drifted out, walking slowly to the Chevy parked outside. AS they got seated, Neji thumbed through a few more papers, skimming them carefully. "Molecular division…Molecular stamina…" He mumbled.

Naruto deciphered. "Cell damage reports."

The blonde reversed from the parking spot and drove forward, edging the car out into the main intersection. He pulled out and took a quick left, easing them onto a main road, and coincidently the road that led to his apartment. They drove in silence and Naruto pulled into the familiar lot, surprised to see his car already there. He hoped they weren't late.

He and Neji exited quickly, leaving the papers behind in the vehicle. They sifted towards Naruto's door and Neji turned to face him.

"You think they drugged you, right?" He asked.

"Yeah…"

"Where could they take you out?" Neji examined the premise and Naruto answered. "Just the front door."

Neji nodded and motioned for the both of them to take seat in a large mantra of overgrown hedge and to wait until Kiba and Sakura exited. They waited.

Andthey waited.

A long period of time passed before the door finally crept open, a disgruntled Kiba carrying Naruto over one shoulder.

"Look, I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Are you sure this is what Sarutobi wanted?"

Sakura was hushed with her tone. "Of course! I read it on one of his notepads."

Kiba's truck was parked directly in front of Naruto's apartment and he slid Naruto into the middle seat of the front, Sakura balancing him on the other end.

Neji and future Naruto perked, realizing that the duo was about to drive away. Following Neji's lead, Naruto crept up to the side of the car, in the shadows, and found his way into the bed of the truck. He was thankful that Kiba had gotten the extra layer of tint done on the rear windows, and even more grateful that he always kept his back swatch open for air. This way, he and Neji could hear everything the duo said.

"Is it necessary that he is unconscious?" Kiba asked, his voice reluctant.

From beside him, Sakura countered. "Duh, that's why it's a surprise."

Kiba revved the engine and drove off and Neji grabbed Naruto's wrist as the blonde began to slide downward**s** in the metal bunk. The blonde nodded in thanks and let the truck skim down a familiar highway and to an all to**o** familiar campus. It was only about ten minutes later that Kiba and Sakura unloaded, Naruto's lifeless form **t**hrown over Kiba's shoulder.

Neji and Naruto edged out of the back of the truck, following the other two through the mass array of campus buildings that were barely lit for late night traffic. From ahead of them, Kiba spoke.

"Sakura, this is weird. Would you mind telling me what's really going on?"

Sakura laughed and rubbed Kiba's head. "You're so protective over him, you know?"

Kiba nodded. "Best friend. Comes with the territory."

Sakura skipped forward and opened a heavyset wooden door, flinching as it groaned.

"Naruto's always saying he wants to help people, right? Well, I read some of Sarutobi's stuff, and it says he's already used the machine himself. And that it worked."

Even Neji couldn't miss the blatant widening of Kiba's eyes and from beside him, Naruto's eyes narrowed. They followed the duo into the lab and hid carefully under a collection of work desks that Naruto recognized to be Tsunade's and Sarutobi's. He sat evenly and took in theconversation. He knew it, deep down, that thiswas it.

"You're kidding, right?" Kiba said nervously. "You made me drag him all of the way out here so you could freeze him or something?"

Naruto felt a cold shiver slide down his spine. He and Neji were on opposite sides of the room and neither of them could seethe facesof the two speakers.

"Look here, Sarutobi's already under." Naruto heard a ruffle of material and his heart quickened. Under? Naruto knew what she meant. Sarutobi was cryogenically frozen.

"Anyways, lots of his papers said that Naruto's type of genius was needed in the future…so I figured, why not let him go?"

Naruto could hear Kiba's distaste. "You're sick, you know that?"

There was a creaking noise and loud footprints. Naruto twisted up his head. Someone new had entered the room.

"I told you to bring me the thesis…not the kid."

Kiba was the first to speak. "And who are you?"

Sakura was quick to act. "This is him…Mr. Dark and Mysterious."

There was a well of silence before another shuffle. Kiba sounded annoyed. "Right. I'm taking Naruto back to his apartment, then."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Just what was going on?

"Did you get the hard copy, Sakura?" That voice—so deep.

The girl didn't answer and Naruto presumed that she shook her head.

"What a waste."

There was another scuffle and Kiba grunted. "Hey—Excuse me—"

"What are you doing?" Sakura's voice.

A loud rush of air. A sleeper. The stranger was putting him in the sleeper. He knew it.

"Hey—what are you—" Kiba's voice, only louder. A clink. A loud sound. A lock.

"What—what did you do?" Sakura's voice sounded hectic.

"I told you what to bring me and you didn't listen. If you had, this wouldn't have happened."

There was a scratching noise and a grunt. Kiba was clawing at the sleeper; Naruto could tell.

"Let him out, you asshole!"

There was silence. Then:

"It wouldn't matter if I did. This sleeper's incomplete. He's dead already."

Sakura cried out. Naruto heard something stifle her action and he heard Kiba growl.

"Don't touch her."

Naruto felt the urge to jump up and tell them he was alright, but one glance at Neji kept him glued to his seat on the floor, his palms sweaty, his breathing deep.

There was the sound of boots against marble flooring and the squeal of a door.

"W-where are you going?" Sakura's voice was weak, like someone had held her tightly around the throat.

"To get the master file. I suggest you two come."

There was a pause. "Why the fuck would we go with you?" Kiba's voice was guttural.

The figure almost laughed. "I guarantee you they won't find my fingerprints all over this place. But you two…"

The figure walked out of the room, leaving only Sakura and Kiba.

"W-what do…w-we do?" Sakura stuttered, and Kiba slammed a fist against a table.

"You mean, what the fuck did you do? Great choice in men, you selfish—"

"Don't pin this on me!" She shrieked.

There was a long pause and Sakura spoke. "I—I'm going with him…"

Kiba growled. "You can't be serious…I'm sure if we find the other scientists here they'll be able to do something."

There was a pause. "He said he was dead. I've got no other place to go, but with him…"

Naruto heard a noise and heard Sakura cry out. Like he had grabbed her arm.

"Let go, Kiba."

A pause.

"I—I'll go with you. I won't leave you alone with him."

Another pause.

"Whatever."

The sound of feet leaving.

Naruto inhaled deeply, wiping thesweat off hisbrow. His heart was thrashing beneath his chest and his mind was racing. He felt tears absently rush from his eyes and realized that for the first time, he was truly afraid. Who was the man? What were his intentions? And what did it have to do with his, Sakura, and Kiba's future?

Neji edged over to him, alook of concernacross his gentle features. Naruto snapped forward and stood up.

"We—we have to get the hard copybefore them." He said quickly, wiping his nose across the back of his hand. He breathed deep, trying to control the emotions surging through him. He eyed Neji and Neji stood up.

"Naruto…"

"Please."

Neji eyed him caustically before nodding slowly.

"Where is it? At your apartment?"

Naruto shook his head. "No…those idiots…I bet that's where they're going though."

He dried his face with his shirt, willing the tears to stop. He groaned.

"It's in my assignment locker…down at my internship. It's only a few blocks from here."

Neji nodded and tightened the backpack against his back. "Right—let's go."

They began to walk out, careful that all three others had already departed. After the coast was clear they sifted out, Neji following Naruto's directions. After they found a main street, Naruto shifted forward in order to walk side by side with his partner.

"Neji…that man…"

"We'll talk about it when we get back. As for now, let's get what we need and get out."

Naruto nodded and drifted forward, guiding them to the large NIST building. They crept up to one of the sidelong doors and Naruto halted.

"It's closed though." He stated, and Neji pushed passed him. Pushing his palm high in the air he pulled it downward, a karate move Naruto had always wished he could do. The action split the knob and the door tumbled open, the chocolate haired boy moving in almost mechanically. Naruto gaped for a moment before jogging in himself, wandering down familiar hallways to the locker room where he was able to store his most valued belongings.

He turned on a light, put in his combination, and opened the white locker. He sifted through his stuff, pushing a textbookout of the way and grabbing a small jump drive from the back of the small space. He put it around his neck and closed the locker, turning off the light and rushing towards Neji who was guarding the broken entrance.

"Let's get out of here." The older man said, and Naruto nodded.

He remembered that he didn't have Shino's truck and he cursed. It looked likethey would be taking the bus.

The long and arduous ride to Central City was painstakingly silent as Naruto sifted through his thoughts. Sakura and Kiba were guilty—but not completely. But the new character didn't erase them of all for their misdeeds against him. But still—they were his friends…and how had they managed to get to the future with him?

There were too many questions still unanswered.

Neji and Naruto unveiled the Gamabunta and got in, Naruto still quiet in deep concentration.

"Look, Naruto…"

"I don't want to talk about it…not yet…"

Neji nodded, understanding Naruto even if Naruto didn't understand himself. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about it—he just didn't want to talk about it with him. Naruto pulled out the miniature manual and activated a time sequence that Neji wasn't familiar with. The older man raised an eyebrow.

"Where—"

"I promised Sasuke a favor." Naruto explained and the machine hummed to life. Naruto repeated the motions of the previous day, hoisting the contraption into the air and flinging it forward with and amazing force.

"How do you know where to go?" Neji ground out.

Naruto breathed hard against the pressure. "Sasuke…told me."

The machine quipped to a stop and dropped, only this time, Naruto kept the clutch lever intact for a safer landing. The machine settled and the doors opened, and Naruto climbed out peacefully. He felt numb, but he had no intention on going back on his promise.

Neji stood beside him and they both glanced up at the Uchiha compound.

"Something's not right." Naruto said, and Neji's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?"

"The house—it's already on fire." Naruto stared ahead at the huge mansion that Sasuke had given him coordinates to. Only, with Sasuke's information, they should have been at least a few hours early. Naruto cursed and jogged forward.

"Naruto!" Neji complained and he took of after the blonde boy.

Naruto jumped over a thin white fence and ran up a long driveway. He needed something—anything for Sasuke. Some kind of proof for him.He couldn't return with nothing. He refused.

He ran up the path and saw a figure, tall and dark. At first he thought it was Sasuke, but it wasn't. The figure was taller—darker, paler and more condescending. Naruto slowed, wondering who this person was that looked so much like his closest friend.

"Naruto."

The smoke form the fire was making his skin blacken and his eyes water. Naruto coughed back a wheeze and narrowed his eyes.

"Are you Sasuke's older brother?" Naruto asked, oblivious to the fact the figure knew his name.

The figure smirked and Naruto didn't like it. This man felt…evil. Not whole. But Naruto tried.

"I've got to clear your name—tell me who did it!" Naruto yelled as the fire crackled. The figure's smirk grew.

"Why, I did it, of course."

Naruto stepped backwards, his eyes scrunching in confusion. It wasn't possible—Sasuke said it wasn't.

"W-Why?" Naruto asked, but was cut off by a piercing scream. His head whipped towards the house and he frowned. Was someone inside?

"Tell me Naruto…" the figure said. "What is more important to you? That data drive…or Sasuke?"

Another scream rippled through the air and Naruto glanced at the house. Was he saying…? That scream was…Sasuke?

"Sasuke's in the…house?"

Naruto tried to organize his thoughts. What was going on?

The figure stepped closer and Naruto felt utterly confused.

"You're running out of time, genius." The figure said and as if in a flash, it hit Naruto. That voice—that thick and low voice. He had no idea how and he had no idea why, but it had been this person—this Itachi Uchiha—he had heard that voice. He had heard it less than ten minutes ago, threatening his childhood friends.

And those hands—merely minutes ago they had signed his fate with the future by locking him into a sleeper. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"Sasuke's in the house." Naruto stated more clearly, and Sasuke's older bother nodded.

Naruto didn't have to think hard. In seconds the drive was in Itachi's handsand he was dodging towards the building, racing towards the small screams that were slowly fading. He ignored the warnings of Neji behind him and dodged forward into the burning mass.

"Sasuke!?" He yelled, hoping the boy had enough energy to respond. A small cry sounded in response. He raced towards it, holding his sleeve tight to his mouth. He wasn't getting enough oxygen—he could feel it. If h breathed in too much smoke, he would pass out. His eyes twitched towards the right where he heard the guttural sound of a smaller child. He kicked open a door which collapsed almost immediately due to the degree of burns it had.

He gasped. There, huddled in a corner, was a young Sasuke.

"Sasuke, come here." He demanded, holding out his arms. The child examined him slowly, a confused look crossing his small face.

"Who--?"

"Come on!" Naruto said, and the child jumped up, tears marring the pale complexion of his face. Naruto enveloped the child and held him close, gasping lightly as a chunk of the ceiling crackled and collapsed.

There had to be another way out. Naruto dodged over a clump of molten furniture, ignoring the welts he was receiving from burns. The house groaned and Naruto realized that his time was limited. He dodged towards the door he had entered and teetered out, running nearly fifteen feet before collapsing, the small child huddles in his arms. He glanced down, his voice hoarse. Sasuke had passed out. But his breathing was alright. Naruto could tell.

Thank God.

From a few feet away, Naruto heard Itachi's voice. He was on the phone, reporting the incident. Naruto almost growled, but Neji enveloped him.

"What were you thinking—Gods, Naruto. Are you alright?"

The older brother wasn't ignored. Naruto glared at him. He swore—he swore he would kill him. In that moment, Naruto made a promise.

Itachi twisted the jump drive around his finger before he drifted away, smirking into the distance. Naruto tried to move forward but his lungs wouldn't let him. Neji gripped him tightly.

"Naruto. NARUTO." His voice was strained and Naruto eyed him savagely.

"We've got to go—the police are coming."

Naruto growled. "I can't leave him like this!"

Neji shook him intently. "He'll be fine—think about it. He'll be fine!"

Naruto hissed as he set the child down, his burns stinging under the removal of weight. Neji grabbed his arms and yanked him forward, pulling them both towards the time machine.

"Why—Why don't we stay and tell the police!?" Naruto yelled, his voice livid and scratched. He peered back to make sure that little Sasuke was still there on the ground, unharmed.

"Because—I think I've figured out why the feds are after you…" Neji panted.

Naruto growled as Neji flung him into the Gamabunta, the sounds of sirens crying out in the distance.

"And why is that?" Naruto ground out as the doors shut.

Neji pressed the button for the doors to close and started the oxygen, nudging the manual towards Naruto.

"Because," he replied shortly, "They think it's you who murdered the Uchiha family."

Naruto started the engine, realizing how perfectly Itachi had set his trap. Just like only Kiba and Sakura's evidence remained in the lab, only his evidence—burned flesh and clothes—remained in the Uchiha household and on little Sasuke.

He growled and started the engine.

He would kill him.

With everything he had, he would kill Uchiha Itachi.

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A/N--> Aahhh!! I know. Haha.

First off, thank you to all of my reviewers from the last chapter and to akaru-chan who is doing her best to beta this fic for me.

Secondly, I've finished chapter 39 and this story will be exactly 45 chapters long. It's getting harder for me to write though, cause it's the end. Please keep reviewing because they're really pulling me through.

Thirdly, I posted yet another new fic called 'It's all in Your Head'. I'm completely stoked for this one too and I would love for you guys to give it a shot!

Fourthly, I haven't read the newest manga installment so no spoilers today. Don't tell me, either! I'm waiting until next friday (my roomie dared me--said I couldn't do it) and I intend on winning this little wager.

Thanks again and please R&R!

Now to go update the rest...


	36. Of Truth and Lies

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for the overwhelming amount of reviews!

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**Chapter 36: Of Truth and Lies**

Naruto grimaced as the machine shuddered to a halt, his stomach tensing under the fluid vibrations of the engine. He could feel Neji watching him, thinking hard about the situation. Even though they had gained a great deal of information, all of their questions hardly seemed answered—and in fact, new even bigger concerns had arisen.

As Neji took a long breath andNaruto felt a wave of heavy emotions drown out his senses. His mind was spinning, whether from confusion, guilt, or anger he didn't know. He couldn't think straight and his head felt congested. The flushed skin on his forearms barely felt burned at all as his mind attempted to decipher all of the knowledge that he had acquired. But only one thought seemed to linger in his mind.

_I__killed Sasuke's family._

And it was true. Not literally or directly, but ifit weren't for him and his thesis, Sasuke's family would be alive and his close friend wouldn't be so alone. And why Itachi had been after him—or even how he knew of him—was still a complete mystery. It didn't make sense, but hey, it's not like anything involving his situation ever had.

Naruto felt his eyes begin to waterand didn't have the energy to deny the raw emotion flooding his senses. After all, he had expected it. He had expected both Sakura and Kiba to be guilty and a small part of him had even wanted them to be. Deep down inside, he knew that they had wronged him and he had prepared himself for the result. But he wasn't prepared for Itachi. And he wasn't prepared to tell Sasuke.

He couldn't.

Sasuke was his best friend. Without realizing it they had built a bond and one that Naruto never wanted to sever. One that he _couldn't_…because if he lost Sasuke, then he would be alone.

And for some reason, that thought made his hands tremble and his lips quiver. His breathing hastened and he felt a tear escape the coarse underlay of his eyelashes. From beside him, Neji spoke, but his voice was low and inarticulate. It seemed as though even he was having a difficult time piecing together the appropriate words.

"I'm sorry…that you had to see all of that…"

Naruto almost laughed, and it caught Neji off guard. It was a sarcastic chuckle, and one very unlike Naruto's usual optimistic nature. In fact, when he spoke, the blonde's words held a darkness that Neji had never heard.

"I killed them…it's only fitting that I got to see it."

The brunette's head turned to the side quickly, completely caught off guard by Naruto's comment. It occurred to Naruto that Neji hadn't even put two and two together, even though the guilt was still pounding residually against Naruto's temples.

"Naruto, you can't blame yourself for that." His voice was stern.

Naruto didn't look at him; he only let the words roll off his tongue. "They're dead because Itachi wanted my thesis."

Neji scooted towards Naruto and grabbed his chin, turning him so that his cool blue eyes could settle on Naruto's icy ones. He stared for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was almost bitter.

"Itachi started that fire, not you."

"Because of me." Naruto argued, and Neji tilted his head, a look of frustration creasing his brow. He let go of Naruto's chin and sat back in his seat, his expression calculating.

"Sasuke won't blame you." He said softly, and Naruto felt his heart pound like a timpani against his chest. That's right, he thought reluctantly. He had to tell Sasuke. He had almost forgotten.

Naruto shifted, realizing that they could exit the machine at any time. He wondered if Jiraiya and the others were waiting patiently outside, wondering why they were taking so long to exit, but the thought only sifted through his mind momentarily. He didn't want to get out. He didn't want to face Sasuke. He didn't want to think anymore; to try and decipher his own mystery. He didn't want to know…because he was afraid he would learn something else.

_I __could lose Sasuke._

Naruto bit his lip. He was being selfish. Sasuke deserved to know. It was the truth, even if it was a difficult burden to bear. Naruto blinked back another round of welling emotion and sniffed.

It wasn't just that he would lose a friendship. It wasn't just a selfish desire that was making his heart hurt so badly…it was something else. As he felt more and more disconnected with his surroundings, Naruto vaguely remembered something similar to the feeling he was experiencing.

He had been younger and Kiba had gotten hit by a car. His leg was broken and he was taken to the hospital, and Naruto had been sure that he was going to die. Even though the doctors all explained to him it was a simple break, Naruto had imagined them to be lying because sometimes, with heavy burdens, doctors did.

Kiba had been fine—it was just a simple break. But the relief…Naruto wanted to protect the people closest to him. He couldn't stand that feeling of loss…The feeling of loneliness and the pain of loss.

And that's what this new emotion reminded Naruto of. Losing someone—losing a future. Above that, losing a part of yourself.

_When did Sasuke become a part of me?_

Naruto felt his head pound hard as thoughts rushed through his mind. Memories by the tenfold assaulted his mindscape, and he felt his breathing quicken.

His first meeting with Sasuke—their first kiss. Harsh lips and conquest. Working for Sasuke; long hours and hidden glances—competition. Sasuke protecting him from the drunken man outside of Bender's Tavern. He had been warm and soft. Sleeping in Sasuke's lap on the return trip from Nivae—Sasuke's jealousy with Sai.

"Oh my God." Naruto choked out, his head pounding with disbelief. From beside him, Neji was peering down at him in concern.

"What?"

"I…I—"

_I love him._

Naruto's thoughts stood still.

It seemed impossible, but Naruto couldn't deny it. He had fallen in love withSasuke. Somewhere along the way he had gotten used to the affection and had grown immune to the uncomfortable attachment they had once shared. The kissing, the comments, the bond—it all made sense now.

Neji was staring at him, his eyes narrowed and his lips curled in concern. He placed an arm on Naruto's shoulder and shook him lightly.

"Naruto?"

But the blonde couldn't move. It was too much. He loved Sasuke…but at what price? He felt the walls of his composure crumble and tears spilled from his eyes. He wracked out a sob.

The side of the Gamabunta shook and the latch controlling the doors sped sideways, causing the door to puff out and ascend with a noisy groan. Naruto tried to wipe away the redness from his cheeks and Neji frowned as Jiraiya grunted, tapping a wrench irritably against he palm of his hand from outside of the vehicle.

"We were beginning to think you were _dead_," he commented. "To think you can control a time machine but remember how to open a door." Shikamaru and Chouji were standing idly at his side, Shikamaru looking slightly bored and the ladder grinning with curiosity. Rock Lee was in the distance, organizing papers, and Sasuke was standing directly beside Jiraiya, his expression unreadable.

The older man opened his mouth for another wry comment but stopped as soon as he took in Naruto's appearance. It was obvious he had been crying—and what worried him more were the burns and dirt that covered him. His eyebrows archedin alarm and he immediately outstretched his hand to the blonde haired boy. Naruto ignored it and pushed himself out, unable to bring himself to make eye contact with anyone.

Neji crawled out behind him, taking lead of the conversation. "We saw most of everything…though there are some new developments that are…rather interesting." He paused delicately, as if afraid to offend Naruto. The blonde shook his head lightly, and felt a hand on his shoulder. When he peered up, he almost blanched. Sasuke looked worried, as usual.

"What happened?" The raven looked him up and down, a questionable look on his brow. Naruto's lips parted, but words couldn't form. He felt the mixed emotions throttle him again and he closed his mouth, turning away from Sasuke.

There was silence, and Naruto knew it was because of him. He looked troubled; he could tell. But Neji would tell everyone—because the words sure as hell weren't going to leave his lips.

Neji grunted from behind Naruto and Sasuke peered over. The brunette gave a quick nod and Naruto stifled a laugh. Neji was trying to get him and Sasuke alone. Sasuke took the hint though and took his hand, eyeing Jiraiya and the others threateningly.

Without a word he led Naruto away, ignoring the skeptical glances that the others were feeding him. As soon as Naruto and Sasuke disappeared behind closed doors, Jiraiya stepped forward, his expression grim.

"What the hell happened?" He asked, and Neji frowned.

"Well, it seems as though Itachi is related." There was a long period of silence where everyone's eyes in the room widened, and Neji explained the findings of the trip.

Sasuke pulled Naruto into an empty bedroom and closed the door behind them. Naruto could feel his heart pounding as Sasuke pushed him backwards onto the bed, but then turning to rifle through some desk drawers for aloe vera. When he discovered some his attention immediately returned to the blonde, soothing the cooling cream into the red rashes in Naruto's forearms. Naruto frowned at the stinging coolness, but relished the fact that Sasuke seemed preoccupied. After a long moment, the raven spoke.

"What happened?" he asked, but his voice was low. Naruto could tell that he was truly concerned. He could tell because Sasuke was being patient.

"I…" Naruto couldn't bring his mouth to form a sentence. He didn't know where to start or what to say. He felt paralyzed.

"They did it, didn't they?" Sasuke said as he put the cap back on the natural aloe supplement. He glanced up at Naruto, his dark eyes brimming with a concerned type of anger. Naruto stared for a moment, taking inthose dark and alluring eyes. He nodded, and Sasuke knelt forward, bringing his waist between Naruto's legs and his face only inches away from the blonde's.

"Talk to me." Sasuke said. Naruto watched his lips move as the words slid out, and he felt his heart race. Everything felt so much different now; now that he knew. He was nervous and anxious, not to mention mentally numb from all of the revelations he had discovered. He didn't want to tell Sasuke…

Sasuke kissed him. It was a brief kiss, one that lingered on his lips just long enough for Naruto to inhale Sasuke's scent and brush the smooth contours of the raven's lips. He felt his eyes slip closed and his lips part, wanting more. Anything to prolong the silence—to delay the inevitable.

Naruto breathed slowly, his heart pulsing fast against his chest, and he knelt forward, resting his forehead against Sasuke's. He opened his eyes, and he stared for a moment, taking in the look of surprise on the man's face at his affectionate action.

"Sasuke…" He said slowly. He rested his forearms on the raven's shoulders and searched his eyes for some kind of truth. He was breaking, but he knew what had to be done.

"Naruto—"

"I'm sorry." Naruto said, his voice low. He looked downward, unwilling to keep eye contact with his superior. "I was going to be selfish…and not tell you at all. But when you look at me like that—it would be worse if I didn't."

Sasuke looked confused and seemed frustrated that Naruto wouldn't keep eye contact with him. He remained patient, however.

"Tell me what?" He asked, his voice soft.

Naruto felt the tears come again and he felt like a child. Sasuke seemed surprised and squeezed the insides of Naruto's thighs. "What happened?" He was starting to sound angry.

"Itachi killed them," Naruto said quickly, "Because of me."

Sasuke's grip loosened, and the raven-haired man froze. Naruto twisted his headto the side, unable to keep visual contact with him. His heart was beating hard and his head was throbbing, and above that, he felt like he was falling apart.

"He wanted the disk…and so he made me choose…" Naruto was crying hard, rubbing his eyes dry. "I chose you Sasuke…but, oh God, I'm sorry. They all died because of me…"

There was a long moment of silence, and Naruto glanced out of his palms to face Sasuke who was staring at him with uncertainty. His dark eyes were narrowed, and, just as Naruto had feared, angry.

"That's not possible. My brother is a good man."

Naruto licked his lips. "No…No, he burned it. You were inside…Don't you remember?"

The blonde let his eyes examine Sasuke, searching for some sort of recollection, but there wasnone. The Uchiha only continued to stare, his expression growing darker.

"I…don't believe you." Sasuke said, and Naruto felt more tears collecting at the corners of his eyes.

"I'm not lying." He insisted and Sasuke turned towards the door. Naruto felt like a small child when he spoke softly.

"Please don't leave."

Sasuke paused and turned to him before opening the door, but said nothing. His expression was cold and confused, and then he left.

Naruto fell back against the bedding and the tears began to stop. His heart began to calm, and his mind began to settle. He had said it. As though relief were to pass over him he only felt cold and he was too tired to think anymore.

* * *

Naruto's thoughts weighed heavily on his conscious. He rolled onto his back, his eyes clawing open after a very unfruitful nap, his arms sticky from the aloe and his cheeks sore with redness. He breathed in deep, his mind clearer than before, even if he hadn't managed to get a good rest. 

The ceiling above him was tall and thatched and he examined it with an absent minded intricacy, tracing the small swells of adobe and weed that seemed to mold so well together. The room was hot and muggy and he felt beads of perspiration form on his temples—one that he wiped away almost mechanically.He sat up after a moment's hesitation and wondered why he was alone.

"Sasuke…" The raven hadn't returned to the room, and Naruto guessed that at least an hour had passed since his departure. On top of that, no one else had come for him either. Did they all blame him?

Naruto let his thoughts settle. He couldn't think like that—he couldn't let himself be paranoid. He didn't want to assume things just because he felt guilty. He took a belabored breath and stood up, intending to find the small collection of people. He wandered out of the room and drifted towards the lab, wondering what they could be discussing, or if they were even together at all. He wondered what conclusions had been made from the information he and Neji had gained and what it meant for him.

As he turned a corner, he heard voices. He stopped for a moment, feeling childish. He listened against the frame of the door.

Neji's voice. "He's an honest person; what did you expect?"

There was a long pause and Naruto recognized Sasuke's voice. "Not this."

"You need to wake up and realize what's standing right in front of you. Your brother hasn't been around in _years_—"

"He had to hide." Sasuke insisted, and Neji continued.

"Yeah—because he killed your family. And Naruto feels like he's responsible for it—"

"In a way, he is."

There was a long pause and a shuffle. "I can't believe you said that."

Naruto knelt against the frame of the door, his insides burning as Sasuke's comment. He felt his eyes begin to well again but he bit it back. God, he was acting like a _girl_…

But Sasuke spoke again. "But even so…I don't blame him…"

It was unusual to hear Sasuke's voice with such a nervous tremor. Usually his tone was low and demanding, as if he had planned his sentences out minutes in advance. He always sounded professional and direct. But now…

"If there is one person in this world I want to protect, it's him. It's stupid—"

"Because he's straight?" Neji ventured, and Naruto could almost see Sasuke nod reluctantly. There was another pause.

"You and I have never gotten along, Uchiha," Neji said. "And to be honest, I don't think we ever will. But Naruto is important to me…and because of that I feel obligated to help." He sounded strangely defeated and Naruto began to wonder if Neji had feelings for him.

There was a pause and Naruto heard a pen tapping against a table, presumably Sasuke growing impatient. Neji continued.

"Naruto's not straight. He may have been when he first came here—but I've seen it on many occasions. They come, they stay, they adapt. He's adapted, and it's important that you understand who he's adapted to—you."

Naruto felt like he was hearing something he shouldn't, and above that it made him a little angry. Why were they talking about his love interests like it was everyday banter? And how could they so easily agree that he was…gay? The feeling was foreign. It bit at his pride like a taboo, even though deep inside, he knew.

He didn't think he was _gay_—he still liked girls. But he knew that he liked Sasuke. So what did that make him? _Bi_?

"But I don't like Neji…or Sai…" He thought out loud. Maybe he was just Sasuke-sexual. The thought made him blush and mentally slap himself. Just what was he thinking about, anyway? How embarrassing.

From in front of him, the door cracked open and he jumped back, wondering how long he had been left to his own thoughts. Sasuke was the culprit, and he stared down with surprise as Naruto ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Ah…um…" There was no clever excuse for him. After a moment, the raven turned back to Neji who was collecting some paperwork from the round conference table.

"Meeting tomorrow." He was reminding him, and the long haired brunette only nodded, leaving Naruto with a somewhat distant expression. Naruto glanced up at Sasuke and frowned.

"I didn't know where everyone was…" He said softly, trying to explain himself. Above that, even though Sasuke had admitted to Neji that he didn't blame Naruto, the blonde still felt an unusual weight of guilt in the pit of his stomach. He grew quiet and felt awkward.

"Well, never mind." Naruto said quickly, and turned to walk away. From behind him, Sasuke grabbed his arm. Naruto twisted his head back, his eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"Come on." Sasuke said and drifted up the main hallway to the main bedrooms. Naruto followed him through the living area and to a small kitchen—though everything was electricity free. Naruto vaguely wondered how it was possible to have a stove with no electricity,but he was more interested in what Sasuke had to say that finding out.

"You're hungry, right?" Sasuke said, and Naruto felt his stomach growl. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten. He didn't dare say anything while Sasuke was already gathering some bread from an overhead cabinet.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said. The raven seemed very distracted. Angry even. They hadn't even made eye contact once.

Sasuke turned and handed him a good sizedbaguette, to which Naruto stared at reluctantly. Sasuke stared at Naruto for a moment before setting it on the counter beside him, taking a deep breath. It was obvious that the both of them had many thoughts racing through their heads, and for once, Sasuke looked as though he was at a loss for words.

Naruto was suddenly made aware of how small the kitchen was when Sasuke pressed forward, backing him up against the counter. His eyes were cold and unfocused—almost confused. Naruto felt his heart-rate jump and his breathing hasten as Sasuke's face grew closer to his own.

"Naruto…" He said, his voice strained. "What are you doing to me?"

Naruto blinked, caught off guard by the comment. Sasuke sounded vulnerable. The raven's eyes peered up, searching his own blue for something. Almost—permission? Onyx eyes sought out his lips and Naruto felt his heart hammer and his eyes drift closed, finally understanding his question. He felt it—out of control. Wanting, needing…a forbidden and confusing feeling welling deep within his nerves.

"The same thing you're doing to me." Naruto chanced, and he knelt forward, giving Sasuke the permission he seemed to desire. After a moment, Sasuke pushed Naruto backwards, sucking on the blonde's lips with an almost desperate enthusiasm. Naruto felt his lips part for Sasuke's impatient tongue, letting the raven take the dominances he usually did. Cold hands followed the contour of his waist and hips, kneading and gripping all of the right places.

Naruto felt his hands find Sasuke's neck, running almost cautiously through the soft hair that fell loosely at the base. He felt nervous and inexperienced as he ran his hands upward, pulling Sasuke's lips closer to his own, wanting more of what the man had to give him. He let out a stifled moan as Sasuke's lips parted from his, trialing down ward along the gentle slope of his neck and towards a sensitive spot under his ear.

Cold hands found a way under his shirt and were fiddling with the button of his jeans, an action Naruto couldn't quite decipher. He felt tugging and he felt Sasuke grunt against him, pushing his own arousal against the one he was trying to free. A free hand traced his torso, running deftly across his smooth abdomen and sensitive torso, making him breath hard.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said, a hot puff of air sending tingles over a trail of wetness the raven had left on the blonde's neck. Naruto groaned and felt the button to his jeans finally release, and Sasuke's cool hand drifted down to a much more sensitive area.

"Sa—sasu…nng….wait—" And the friction was gone. The pressure, the moment—Sasuke backed up and an expression crossed his face that made Naruto frown. Sasuke looked like he felt guilty.

"I—" Sasuke spoke softly and Naruto waved his hand passively, trying to collect himself. He was still breathing hard and his skin was still burning, urging him to make the feelings of pleasure return. He pushed the thoughts away however and peered down absent mindedly to the baguette at his side. He picked it up idly.

"I think…" He said slowly. "I think we need to have atalk." The words felt ridiculous to him, like he was a parent preparing to scold a child. But he looked up to Sasuke, his eyes sincere, and saw that Sasuke's vulnerable expression had become replaced with something much more demanding.

"I agree." The raven said simply, and Naruto nodded. He was about to add something else when Sasuke cut him off.

"I have a meeting now with Jiraiya and Gai in ten minutes. It should be short…I'll find you afterwards."

Naruto nodded and tore a soft piece of bread from inside of the roll. He lifted a piece to his lips and savored the sweet flavor, waiting for Sasuke to speak since his lips hadn't closed all of the way.

"Naruto…there are some things I need to tell you. Important things…things I should have told you a long time ago."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke cut him off again. "Sakura and I—well, Sakura had a ba—"

"Are you coming to the meeting?" Rock Lee had pounced into the kitchen, his expression eager and directed at Sasuke. He had some papers in his hand, and Naruto wondered why he wasn't invited to the small gathering. He glanced up at Sasuke, wondering what the raven had been prepared to say. Sasuke looked agitated, but he nodded slowly.

"Look, I'll find you as soon as the meeting ends, okay?"

Naruto nodded slowly, caught off guard by Sasuke's serious and impatient tone. Naruto had wanted to explain what he had seen with Neji—but mostly he wanted to discuss what was happening between them. But Sasuke…Sasuke seemed like he was hiding something.

The two men disappeared from the kitchen, leaving Naruto on his own. He finished his bread and buttoned his pants, wondering if anyone had noticed their undone state. He drifted out of the kitchen and outside of the stuffy adobe building, into one of the back gardens.

In all honesty, he still felt numb. Too much was happening to himat once. To learn about Sasuke's family and to come to terms with his own feelings in the same day—it felt like a nightmare. But at least Sasuke seemed less upset—that thought alone made Naruto happier.

Naruto stepped through a small path of sunflowers and stubbed daisies and he breathed in the fresh air. It would have felt like old Colorado if there had been mountains, but Naruto settled for the crystalline sky and puffy white tendrils of clouds that drifted by overhead. Dark rain clouds hovered in the distance, and he wondered if it was a sign of things to come. Or things that had passed.

His mind drifted to Itachi and he felt the same confusion from before overwhelm him. He hadn't the slightest idea how Itachi knew him, or why he had been after the disk. Above that, he didn't understand why he had risked his family's life for it. Naruto felt his fists clench at the memory. Did Itachi want to kill Sasuke?

From behind him there was a rustling, and Naruto turned, surprised to see a figure emerge from the long vines of summer flowers. Naruto frowned, not recognizing the character.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" The man said, and Naruto wondered why the man was wearing all black under the intense sunlight. Naruto felt his nerves flare and after a moment, he wisened.

"You're from Fang." He said softly and he followed the other man's gaze back up towards the paling sky. The figure smirked, his red lips creating a strange contrast to his pale skin.

"It took me forever to sneak into this place. It's just a wonderful coincidence that I've managed to run into you—all alone, no less."

The figure removed a dark hood from his head revealing a generous tuft of auburn hair and thick black tattoos on his cheeks. Naruto almost laughed. It figured. Just when he was about to clear things up with Sasuke, Fang would come to sweep him away. He kicked a pile of dirt with his foot and bit his lip, anger drawing from his senses. His mind was emerging from the numbness and his temper was beginning to flare. He had had enough of Fang's games.

"Well, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." The figure said, his eyes playful. Naruto saw a knife slither into his palm and he glared.

"What, are you going to kill me?" Naruto was surprised at the air of confidence his voice held, and it seemed as though the other man was impressed. He stepped forward and twirled the knife in his hand—a movement that reminded Naruto of knife-throwers at the circus.

"Kill you? No, no…" He almost laughed. "My job is just to bring you back. I'm sure my brother will get the pleasure of spilling your 20th century blood."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "And who's your brother?"

"Gaara, of course. But really, choose your poison."

Naruto silently pondered. If he bought more time, Sasuke would come to look for him. But if that happened—someone could get hurt. And who knew how many other Fang members were dispersed in the miniature village. At this point in time, his first priority was to protect Sasuke from Itachi. It was the least he could do.

Turning towards the figure he sighed. "Do I at least get to know the name of my captor?" His voice was oddly playful. It didn't sound familiar to him even though it was his own voice.

"Kankuro, kiddo. My name is Kankuro."

Naruto took one last glance at the small village before the figure directed him with the knife and Naruto made a silent apology. There was no way Sasuke would forgive him this time.

But in his opinion, it was his turn to fight. Everyone had been risking their lives and reputations for him up to this point and he had given nothing back. So now, he was going to fight on his own.

Naruto almost grinned, an eager and dangerous expression crossing his features. He couldn't wait to see Itachi—and show him just what a man from the 20th century could do.

* * *

A/N--> And Fang draws him in...(dramatic music starts...now) 

**Important Note:**

Hey guys--thanks for reading another chapter. I read all of the reviews and a lot of you have noticed the many plot holes I have in this story...and to be honest, I really want to fix them. Therefore I am going to take about a 1.5 to 2 week break from posting so I can reload all of the chapters with revisions. By that time I should have the rest written as well which should make the last 7 or 8 chapters come really quickly and really smoothly.

I know a lot of you will probably be upset, but I think I've been really good so far...I've updated really quickly and almost always on schedule. I really need to fix some stuff though so that when the last chapters come out they don't feel empty and full of unanswered questions.

Another reason is that I have been really, extremely, and sadly busy. I work full time and do classes full time and this quarter my classes spell out one project after another. I also have a gallery showing this friday and to be completely honest, I'm winded. My head feels like a desert and I just need time to settle into a routine and then start pumping stuff out.

This delay will also coincide with my other stories. I'm going to post a new chapter for each of them this weekend, but after that, the break begins.

I really appreciate all of your support and happiness--your reviews help me keep my flame, so please continue to cheer me on.

Oh, and for those of you who siad, 'this story has a lot of plot holes', you should really be more specific. I accept criticism perfectly well, and even flames if you have good reason. But if you want me to fix stuff, you have to be specific. I'm not psychic and you forget that I've written 130,000 words here...My memory isn't that good. Lol

Thanks to you all! Love you and I'll see you in a couple weeks!


	37. The Lion's Den

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M, though I'm beginning to wonder why...

**Comments:** I'm baaaaa_aaaaaaaaaa_ck! Thanks for all of the reviews and support. More author stuff at the end, as usual. :)

* * *

**Chapter 37: The Lion's Den**

Naruto hissed as the feeling of cold steel bit into his back. His wrists hurt from the rope Kankuro had tied around them and his eyes could barely make out the smooth metal interior of the vehicle's truck bed. It figured, he thought, that he would go nice and easy and be chucked into a dark trunk space in return. And how Kankuro had managed to smugglean astro car into Nivae he would never know, and to be honest, he wasn't in the mood for contemplative thinking.

A sudden rush of air caused Naruto to jolt back against the interior of the trunk, his head slamming absently against a cold metal surface. He grimaced as he phased in and out ofconsciousness, briefly noting that he probably had a concussion. It made him upset, but only momentarily. He had asked for trouble when he decided to leave alone with the assassin, so there was hardly any excuse for him to complain. His nerves, on the other hand…

Naruto shivered and his heart tightened. He had no idea what to expect. He had no idea what Fang truly wanted from him. Even though he had been targeted for so long, it seemed pointless since the company had already created a working cryonic chamber. So why were they so intent on keeping him in their custody?

As his shifted onto his back, he grimaced as he felt his hair become matted against his face, sticky with blood.Definitely a minor concussion, he presumed, and he propped his knees up as far as they would go, attempting to maintain a position that would make the ride a little less bumpy. His motion sickness wasn't helping things and he swallowed the urge to throw up as the vehicle jerked to the left. He refused to embarrass himself more than necessary, especially when he planned on looking as composed as possible in front of the bastards that had wronged him.

After all, worse case scenario was death, and he sure as hell wasn't going out without a bang. And if that took all the self control and focus he needed, he would manage. Especially because it wasn't just himself he was protecting, but Sasuke, Jiraiya, and Neji as well.

The car twisted again and he planted his feet, proud when he barely slid across the slippery floor. He grinned and shook his head; he would manage. Even though he was nervous and didn't know what to expect, he would make it. He would figure everything out whether it killed him or not.

The only problem was, _what_ did he want to know? The thought seemed to open a door in his mind, and questions surged forth.

How didItachi get into the past? What happened to Sarutobi? Why didthey want him?What were their intentions? And most importantly, why hadItachi killed Sasuke's family?

He frowned as the car began to slow and he felt his heart rate speed up, wondering if it was anxiety or adrenaline that fueled the tingling in his fingers and chest. He felt the car stop and he nodded. They were there.

Wherever _there _was.

He grit his teeth as the car landed, his brain doing back flips in his skull with the sudden drop in pressure. As the vehicle collided with cold hard earth Naruto's head riveted again, bumping against the solid interior of the trunk. He growled and clenched his eyes closed in an attempt to bear the pain.

The trunk opened and there was a bright light. Naruto could see the burning sun through his eyelids, playing a wicked shade of orange across his mental visionary. He let his eyes open slowly, feeling discombobulated. It took him moments to make out the sky and a few hovering trees, and a few moments after that, Kankuro's figure was above him like the grim reaper, face hidden under the dark hood of his sweatshirt.

"Bumpy ride?"

He seemed to find amusement in the small pool of blood swelling at the rear of Naruto's head where he had been repeatedly bashed. Naruto only glared passively as the stranger yanked him out of the vehicle and stood him up. Naruto felt the nausea of his motion sickness swell in his gut and he teetered back against the car, groaning slightly. He caught himself before he fell over, remembering that he had to do his best not to show weaknesses. And as far as Kankuro knew, Naruto only had a head wound.

"Didn't think it was _that_ bad." The figure noted, his eyes looking slightly perplexed. Naruto snorted.

"Skulls and metal interiors aren't meant to collide repeatedly."

Kankuro almost chuckled, but didn't, merely because the presence he felt from Naruto was very threatening. He had expected a young student from his employer's description, and one that wasn't incredibly manly. A softy, as she had put it.

But this man—the real Naruto—seemed anything but a pushover. His eyes were daunting and narrow—two furious Caribbean colored eyes glinting from behind uncharacteristically dark lashes. He was incredibly tactile for someone with such a small build, standing in a very reproachful way even with rivulets of blood trickling down against his white shirt. He didn't look scared and Kankuro convinced himself that it was only because the blonde had no idea what he was getting himself into—or with who.

"Follow me." He said coolly, ignoring the repressive stare that the younger boy gave him.

Naruto followed his orders, though reluctantly. He had let his anger take control of the situation, overrunning his straining nerves. After all—he had already braved an assassin once before and survived.

The taller man led Naruto to a tall building, old and fading in color. The paint was chipping and it looked suspiciously like a warehouse, though Naruto hardly felt the inclination to ask about it. He simply entered briskly, matching his leader's pace.

His eyes wandered lucidly over the interior of the building, noting the pale white walled hallway that reminded him of a mental institution and propped open doors that gave small peek atscientific equipment. His mind registered.

"This is Osington."

Kankuro snapped his fingers in what Naruto took to be an affirmative.

Why on _earth_ would they take him to a research facility?

He buckled his lips and breathed hard, intent on not asking Kankuro anything. He wanted to hear it from the masterminds themselves, wherever they were hiding.

The duo sifted to the third floor by elevator and Kankuro stepped aside, letting Naruto enter first. He pointed to a room only a few doors down, one sheathed in all glass. Inside was a lounge with interesting furniture—but that's not what drew in his attention. His eyes immediately darted to a flurry of pink that was nestled above couch pillows—someone facing away from him. He almost growled. Sakura.

Kankuro pushed him forward and into the room, letting out a long winded sigh. The girl didn't turn but as the two men walked closer to her, Naruto could see that she was playing a word game in a small travel magazine.

"You're back." She said smoothly, her voice sounding satisfied. Kankuro let out a hearty laugh, one that made Naruto flinch.

"Ha. Didn't put up a fight at all."

There was a moment of silence and Naruto heard a clock ticking. Kankuro shifted uneasily which made Naruto wonder just what type of person Sakura had become. If she could make a person as bulky as Kankuro shaky, he could only imagine what her actions would be towards him.

"You can leave." She said lightly, and she waited until the gentle thumps of sneakers on linoleum faded before closing her book.

Naruto stood, impassive, his hands still tied tightly behind his back and his expression grim. There was a weight in the room, and he savored the feeling of it. His mouth felt dry and his mind felt blank—all except for an anger that was sending coldshivers up his spine. If his hands were untied…he wasn't sure what he would do…

"We meet again." She turned her head from her seated position and smiled, a charming smile that Naruto would have once found attractive. He didn't respond.

After a few moments her expression dimmed and her eyes sank into a narrow stance, and she licked her lips. She stood up and paced towards him, her eyebrows furrowing in anger. Without warning, she slapped him.

"You should have just died." She said firmly, her voice wavering. "You're the reason I lost everything."

Naruto's eyes clenched from the sting of the impact and he felt his cheek go numb in pain. Volleyball had done wonders for Sakura's right hook, and Naruto only turned back to her with an equally irritated expression.

"I fail to see how any of your stupidity is my fault."

Her head whipped up to glare at him and her lips twisted in what Naruto could only assume to be words unable to form. Her hand crept up to the collar of his shirt and she yanked his head down to be level with hers.

"I gave up my life for you—I came here because you should have fucking died!"

Naruto snorted, his anger obvious in his serious tone. "If you hadn't been fucking a murderer behind my back, I'm pretty sure a great deal of this could have been avoided."

Sakura backed up, looking affronted. Her eyes went wide like a cat's and she almost cracked a smile as the realization set in. "You went back, didn't you?"

Naruto didn't bother to nod, knowing that the action was meaningless. It was obvious, after all.

"And he's not a murderer." She added slowly, her voice strangely compassionate.

"But you don't deny fucking him."

Sakura's eyes fell into a smirk and she tiptoed closer to him, pressing her body against his. She stood tall so that her breath could dust across his lips and she curled her eyes upward in a provocative glance.

"Why Naruto, are you jealous?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and continued to glare, unfazed by her ministrations. It was funny how he felt no attraction to her anymore, no matter how sexual her actions could be.

"Do whatever you want. Just don't try to pin it on me when it backfires."

Sakura's eyes narrowed again and she pushed him backwards with a strange amount of force. He fell back onto an ottoman and she climbed between his legs, running a careful hand across the crusty clump of matted hair at the base of his skull.

"You're bleeding." She said emotionlessly, and she knelt forward, pulling his head closer to hers. She ran her tongue across his lips and pressed her chest against his, her hand raging through his hair as she breathed hard into his mouth. He grimaced as he felt the bruise on his scalp open, though he hardly believed that she noticed. He felt nothing as her hands ran from his knees to his thighs, squeezing lightly.

"Do you…not want me anymore?" She said in between kisses, and Naruto sat, eyes open, almost bored with the display. A part of himself wondered if she had lost her mind. Another part of him wondered if she was just toying with him.

"I don't love you anymore, Sakura." He said firmly, forcing her lips away from his. A twinge of hurt crossed her face and she left a few inches between their figures. She frowned.

"I get it."

She ran her hands back to Naruto's knees and pushed herself forward, a large Cheshire grin playing on her features. She laughed.

"Hilarious! You're a fag…just like all of them." She shook her head in humor and bit her lip.

"Who is it? Neji? I hear he's a great fuck…"

Naruto blanched at her language, having never thought about Neji that way. After a moment of his silence, she glared.

"It's Sasuke." She said coolly, her eyes meeting his. "After all, Sasuke has to get a piece of _everyone_ in this godforsaken town…"

Naruto frowned, not quite understanding her meaning. She glanced up to him, her expression more angry than playful. She knelt forward and pecked his lips, a dangerous smirk poking at her lips but not reflecting in her eyes.

"How has he touched you, Naruto?" She pushed her hands up to his thighs and pressed against his abdomen, and action that made him catch his breath. In love with Sasuke or not, hands moving so sensually across his body were bound to get a reaction.

He glanced down at her and she seemed to be examining his reaction.

"Disgusting." She said and pushed herself up. She wandered over to a phone on the wall and dialed a number.

"Come up here." She demanded and she slammed the phone back onto the wireless receiver. She turned to Naruto and he merely glared.

"Don't get cocky," She said. "I got bored with you a long time ago."

Naruto heard the faint clunking of heavy footwear and turned his vision towards the entryway, where his eyes widened. Even though his last encounter had been in complete darkness, he still recognized the slim figure that had entered. Jeweled green eyes and striking red hair. Subaku Gaara.

He felt his heart catch. Sakura—strangely, he could handle her. But Gaara was a different story.

He glanced at Naruto vaguely before eyeing Sakura who was standing casually near the phone.

"Get him out of here. I want Itachi to be surprised when he gets back."

Naruto could have sworn he saw a flash of annoyance crossthe assassin's face, but if it _had _happened, it disappeared has soon as it had come. The redhead turned to him and Naruto stood up, not wanting to be toted around or manhandled like with Kankuro. He walked towards the door and turned to Sakura, his eyes tapering in contempt.

"If it's any consolation, Sasuke got bored with you a long time ago, too."

He didn't miss the look of fury that crossed the woman's face or the fist that clenched at her side. He was almost grateful when Gaara tugged him forward out of the room.

* * *

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. Something was wrong. He had felt it since the meeting had ended and the feeling had kept growing and growing, tugging at his stomach in nervous pulls. He tapped his fingers on the table, a nervous habit, which seemed to draw the attention of the other few members at the table. 

"Are you alright?" Neji's voice was calm and collected, as always.

Jiraiya and Lee glanced over to him, breaking their conversation. Sasuke knelt backwards into his chair and bit his lip.

"Something isn't right." He stood up from the table and paced towards the door, Jiraiya giving Neji an inquiring glance. The long haired brunette shrugged and stood up to follow, jogging close behind his corporate rival.

"Sasuke, wait."

Sasuke didn't though, he only walked faster down the tight-knit hallways of the adobe building towards the kitchen area. He peeked inside and sauntered out, shaking his head.

"Sasuke." Neji was growing impatient as he jogged behind him.

"Where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked, though it came out as more of a statement. Neji stopped and looked baffled for a moment, before his eyes narrowed. He pushed forward to match Sasuke's pace and followed him into Naruto's bedroom which was just asempty.

"Where_ is_ Naruto?" Neji repeated.

Sasuke felt sick. He had a bad feeling. His head was urging him to keep looking—to remain calm because Naruto was probably just wandering around the miniature premise. But a deeper part of him couldn't stop the quell of knowing anxiety.

"He's not here." He said softly, and Neji glanced up at him.

"You're kidding. He's got to be—where's he going to go?"

Sasuke twisted past Neji and out of the bedroom, walking with a characteristic sense of power towards the single bedroom that was Chouji's. Without knocking he shoved open the door, his eyes impatiently searching the room for occupants.

Chouji sat on the floor in the middle of a rather intense looking strategy game. He peered up, his eyes inquisitive.

"Have you seen Naruto?" Sasuke demanded.

Chouji immediately looked intent and glanced back and forth between the two business tycoons. His features grew harsh as a gravity settled on the room, and within moments, Rock Lee rapped on the door behind them.

"So this is where you guys went. What did you take off for, Sasuke?" There was a light pause before Lee spoke again, his voice high and dramatic.

"You won't believe what one of the neighbors just told Jiraiya—someone spun an astro vehicle through the main courtyard…it _killed_ my bonsai plant."

Sasuke's attention snapped backwards along with Neji's and Chouji looked worried as he breathed hard.

"What?" Lee asked, his eyes wide. "Did I say something?"

Sasuke cursed and Neji shook his head.

"Did he run away?" Shikamaru asked, his voice low. Sasuke shook his head.

"He wouldn't have. He was waiting for me."

"Fang?" Neji offered, and a heavy silence blanketed the room. From the floor, Chouji spoke.

"But…how?"

Sasuke ran his hands through his hair and turned towards the door, his expression turning violent. He balled his fist and slammed it hard into the wall, ignoring the gasps as the wall cracked under the force. He pulled his hand back as if to repeat his action and Neji caught his wrist, spinning him around so that they were facing each other.

"Sasuke, that won't help anyone." Sasuke glared into Neji's eyes briefly before looking away, massaging his knuckles as soon as his wrist was released.

From the doorway, Lee looked concerned. "Is Naruto gone?"

Chouji nodded, choosing to answer for the group who appeared to be in too much shock to notice. "It seems so."

There was a hasty silence before Lee jogged out of the room, most likely to retrieve Jiraiya, and Sasuke cursed.

"I should have known. It was so obvious! Of course they would have discovered this place already…" His voice was harsh and low and Chouji shook his head.

"Even if we had known, we had no other place to go."

Neji shifted on his heels and knelt against the doorframe, his eyes narrow. He shook his head and glanced at the ground.

"I don't even know what they want him for."

Sasuke was quiet as Chouji offered up an opinion. "Before Naruto left…wasn't he discussing some kind of alternative for his research? To choose gender or something?"

Sasuke nodded. "Something like that."

Neji hissed. "Just imagine…if a company had the ability to create synthetic procreation…"

"They would dominate the economy." Sasuke finished.

Neji's eyes got wide and he glared at Sasuke. "And if they already have working chambers, if they got the findings—they could travel permanently. I'm sure with Naruto's knowledge they could even build their own Gamabunta."

"They would change things in the past to benefit them in the future." Sasuke almost cursed.

"But that's only if Naruto helps them, right? And he wouldn't. Naruto wouldn't help them do anything like that." Chouji said nervously.

"Unless…" Neji's voice was soft and Sasuke glanced over to him. "Unless what?"

"Well, what if they offered something to him that he wanted really badly?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "That's stupid. Naruto isn't material—he wouldn't sell out for his own benefit."

"What if it was the chance to save your parents?" Neji's eyes met Sasuke's and the raven felt his eyes go wide. He hadn't thought of that course of events and it made his heart beat faster. Would Naruto do that for him? He hoped not. But Naruto had been so upset…

"We need a plan of action." Chouji said quickly.

"Alright. Let's think."

Sasuke breathed hard and Neji gave him a comforting glance. From behind them Lee and Jiraiya appeared, Jiraiya looking much older than usual with worry plastered on his face.

"What's the plan?" He said quickly, and Chouji licked his lips.

"Have a seat because we're about to figure one out."

* * *

To be honest, Naruto had half expected Gaara to kill him. His presence was overwhelming and his posture was loose and uncalculated, and Naruto couldn't help but wonder why Gaara hadn't at least punched him. 

After he reviewed his vague memories from their previous encounter, he saw no reason for the redhead to be kind to him at all. Though it had been Rock Lee who had bested him. Naruto frowned at the memory. Really, all he had done was crawl around on the gravel pavement in an attempt to escape.

Naruto was lead to what he guessed to be a basement and he followed Gaara past a long row of equipment boxes to what appeared to be a holding cell. It was gated and contained a small bed and toilet, and he noted the flickering light that hovered above it. It looked as though it would go out at any moment, and Naruto knew that if it did, he wouldn't be able to see anything in the darkness.

Gaara paused before opening the door, and turned to Naruto. His expression was threatening and strangely attractive. The boy's green eyes were misted with heavy black mascara, and his clothes were netted and leather—an ensemble that would have made Naruto blush if he weren't used to the odd apparel of the future. He stared as intently as he could back, trying not to give away the anxiety that had taken over his body when his adrenaline with Sakura had faded.

"You're stronger now." Gaara said, and his voice reverberated with icy tremors.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding the boy's meaning. "I haven't changed." He said quickly, though he wasn't sure why he felt the need to speak at all.

Gaara tilted his head to the side, his eyes examining. It made Naruto feel like an ant under a magnifying glass, and he frowned.

The redhead stepped forward, causing Naruto to step backwards a couple of steps. There was a dangerous feeling in the air and it felt like an incredible gravity. Gaara's hand came forward and grazed Naruto's cheek and the blonde closed his eyes, nervous for the contact.

_This is it_, he thought. _He's going to punch me…_

But instead, Gaara's fingers sifted through his hair and to the back of his head, running deftly over the gash he had acquired only a few hours earlier. Naruto hissed and bit his tongue, surprised when Gaara trailed a smooth run of blood down his neck and towards **his** collar bone. He was even more surprised when Gaara pushed him back against the holding and ran his tongue along the same contour, sucking the sticky red substance from Naruto's smooth skin.

Naruto felt his heartbeat quicken and he wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to push Gaara away, but at what cost? He knew very well the power Gaara had—and how easily his neck could be broken by the redhead's small wrists.

He tilted his neck up, allowing the redhead more access, guilt flooding through him. He wanted to stay alive though—he wanted to help Sasuke. He wanted to destroy Itachi.

He felt his breath hitch as Gaara found his adam'**s** apple and ran a tongue delicately over the surface. Naruto closed his eyes.

"Please stop." He said, and the figure beneath him glanced up.

"They won't let you have any pleasure." Gaara said, and Naruto assumed he was referring to Itachi and Sakura. He nodded.

"I don't want any…if it's not from Sasuke." The words left his mouth so easily that he wondered if he had even said them out loud at all. By the expression on Gaara's face he had though, and he narrowed his eyes, ready to take a stand for himself.

"I don't need your favors." His voice sounded confident and Gaara stepped back, a smile creasing his delicate features. He pushed Naruto back so that he was inside the holding cell, and pulled the door closed. After locking it, the redhead spoke.

"You've become stronger." He repeated.

The redhead drifted away and Naruto sighed, eyeing his new homestead. After a minute he sat on the bed and buried his head in his hands.

In the back of his mind he wondered when Itachi would arrive.

* * *

**A/N-- **

Hurrah! She returns!

Again, I am SO incredibly sorry for the two and a half week wait. I needed it though...You'll all be happy to know that I am doing really well with my classes and that my stress factor has dropped from like a 9/10 to about a 7. ::cheers::

I have to admit though, I haven't had a chance to write any more chapters. As of now, you are all officially caught up with me. Therefore I will be updating once a week, every sunday. I'm balancing quite a few stories and I really want to finish this one and get started on the sequel.

Ha--my roomie called this story my 'white whale'.

FUNNY STUFF in the LIFE of _ME_

**Ladelle's not-so-scary Halloween adventure...**

My roommate and co-workers all went to Thornton (a suburb closer to the mountains) to go through a 'haunted corn maze'. It was frickin' cold though (ugh, damn CO and it's ridiculous winter weather) and we had like a 20 person group. So, we had to divide up into smaller groups and I ended up with Retta-J, her boy, his sister, and my roomie Jaxx. It was really unfonrtunate that we all had to split up, but eh, you know how it goes.

So another one of my co-workers, Jaquie, is a screamer...Haha, she gets scared so easily. Her group went first and we could hear a shriek pierce the air ever couple of minutes and we knew where scary stuff was coming. It was like an alarm or something...We went in though, and let me lay this out for you.

The cornstalks were maybe...seven or eight feet tall? They weren't redwoods by any means. And these huge stadium-type lights were at each of the four corners of the corn maze so it wasn't really that dark, either. So you could see the little people wandering through the cornstalks, tripping over foliage and stuff...and then they would jump out like you didn't know they were coming--and they wouldn't even scream, they would growl. And not like Naruto-turning-into-the-Kyuubi type growls, like some guy jumped out and went, "Grrrrrr."

And Jaxx, being the witty person that she is, said, "Oh, hello."

He looked SO said. This poor little grim-reaper wannabe...he sauntered back into the cornstalks in defeat.

So by this point in time we weren't even really scared, we were just laughing it up. We hadn't heard Jaquie's familiar scream in a while which seemed odd, but it all made sense when we ran into her around the third or fourth corner. Apparently her husband lost his glasses because he was clothes-lined by a cornstalk when they were running away from a werewolf with a chainsaw. HA.

So all of us pulled out our cell phones and were scouring the earth for these spectacles...and as we were doing so, the last of our original twenty happened upon us and joined in the search. We heard a chainsaw roar and heard another group running our way and we all sidelonged the path as the group ran by, only the chainsaw guy stopped to antagonize us. And Shane, Retta-J's boyfriend, just stared at this guy. Like, a REAL face-off man. Nicholas Cage ain't got nothin' on this kid.

Anywho, he eventually gave up and leapt back into the conrfield and I'm pretty sure I heard him trip and fall. And well, on the glasses side of things, they weren't found and we all continued on, the weight of the missing glasses weighing on us like the ring to Frodo. So we walked around and not much else incredibly scary or funny happened until Shane decided he wanted to scare Retta'J's sister. So he leapt into a cornstalk grove and squatted down only to realize that he was seated right next to another grim reaper who had chosen the same place as a hideout. And the grim reaper said, "Um, what are you _doing?_"

Shane scooted out and we found our way out after that...but _man_. What a night. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

**

* * *

Need to Knows**

Updates every Sunday now.

Check my DA account on Monday for some...you guessed it..._fanart!_ Hurrah. 'Bout time, right? (oh, and my DA account is wwwOcomikimOdeviantartOcom)

Love to you all!


	38. Flashbacks & Family Ties

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you, my loyal reviewers! (Although I'm beginning to think I made a lot of you angry with my break. I went from 48 reviews to 23, haha.)

* * *

**Chapter 38: Flashbacks and Family Ties**

"Kakashi, where are you?" Sasuke's voice had a decisively low tone, one that made the gray haired man breath deeply on the other line. After a few moments the older man responded, playfulness in his words.

"Well, you won't believe what happened on the way…"

Sasuke snorted. Even at the young age of nine he knew a lie when he heard one. He interrupted his bodyguard with a slow breed of words.

"I'm late, Kakashi."

Kakashi's voice dimmed over the small communication device and he sighed. Sasuke glared at his icon with irritation and then let his eyes drift across the main dining hall of the Uchiha mansion. The building was completely empty aside from himself, and he heard a vintage grandfather clock pounding away the seconds in another room.

"Are you almost here?" He tried, his voice far from hopeful. To his surprise, the family friend let out a lingering laugh.

"I'll be there any minute. Come outside and wait for me."

Sasuke's eyes widened, wondering why Kakashi hadn't told him when he originally called. He hated when Kakashi played mind games, simply because he was too impatient for them.

He slipped off the edge of a glossy oak chair and grabbed his small backpack from the dining table he was seated at. He brushed a few pieces of lint from his khakis and button up shirt, hoping his father would approve of his choice of outfit. He never looked as good as Itachi…but he convinced himself it was because his brother was older than him.

He paced to the front door and let himself outside, nodding to a maid as she handed him a set of keys and locked the door behind him. He sauntered out into the blazing summer sun, narrowing his eyes at the brightness. In the distance a black hover car drifted closer and he frowned. How Kakashi could own one of the fastest cars in existence and still be habitually late he would never know.

As the car came to a stop Sasuke edged forward and sat in the passenger side seat, his expression narrow. He was afraid of getting lectured by his father—and knew that he would be. He was already ten minutes late, and with Kakashi's knack for tardiness he wondered if he would even arrive before the meeting came to a close.

"Maa…don't be mad at me. I had things to do."

Sasuke snorted, debating on whether or not to ask 'who'. Instead, he settled for a good old fashioned Uchiha guilt trip.

"You had an obligation to me, Kakashi."

The older man frowned and accelerated down the long driveway of the mansion before turning hastily onto an airway. "You sound like your father."

There was a long period of silence before Sasuke spoke, peering out of the windows at the aerial view of the city he saw almost twice a week.

"Do you know what the meeting is about today?"

Kakashi licked his lips and pulled the vehicle downward on a lower tier. They were already approaching downtown Denver—all he had to do was find parking.

"Something important." Kakashi noted. "But I don't know exactly."

The small child rolled his eyes, disappointed at the unhelpful hint. Of course it was important—or why would he have been invited? He was missing a day of school for the meeting, and he was too young for corporate lingo anyway. And besides…it was only a week until his birthday, and Itachi had promised to take him down to the Arakawa toy stores…

"Itachi's going to take me to Arakawa next week." Sasuke said hopefully, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Really? That's a long subway ride."

Sasuke smiled. "Yeah…but it's for my birthday."

There was a pause as Kakashi swirled around the inset streets of the inner city, his car humming a low banter. He turned into a parking district near the corporate office.

"A few of your cousins live out there." Kakashi noted absently as he pulled into a valet parking lot. A tall man on an extended catwalk accepted his money and keys, and Kakashi lifted Sasuke out and onto the platform before following in suite.

"Park close—we'll be out in about an hour." The gray haired man directed, and the valet parker nodded respectively, recognizing Kakashi's familiar face. Sasuke never knew why he was so well known, but he never asked. He figured it was because he was always with the Uchiha family—a fact he knew from experience drew a great deal of attention.

Kakashi took hold of his hand as they drifted through the interior of the parking building—a tall and glass rimmed structure that resembled the inside of an airport. It had several gates that led to the separate businesses nearby, each long hallway leading to different corporate offices.

Kakashi pulled Sasuke to the right and the small boy glanced up at the entryway sign which read: _Uchiha Industries._

Truth be told, Sasuke was very excited to see his father. It had been a few days since the young boy had seen him and apparently the tides were turning with the company. His father had been away more often than not, and his mother had been on a personal vacation for nearly a week. Aside from his parents, his brother was always at school or studying so Sasuke found himself alone during the majority of his free time.

Kakashi held open a stained glass door and Sasuke sifted in to the familiar waiting room of his family business, smiling at a receptionist as he handed Sasuke a sucker thoughtfully. The young boy took it with a grim satisfaction, feeling prideful about being known every time he came. Kakashi took him up the elevator and within moments they were on the business level and entering a private conference.

"Kakashi—you're late. I really can't handle this tardiness any longer." Sasuke's father was an impassive man with strong features and a booming voice. His hair was gelled into a perfect low-cut spike and his face was clean cut and thick with age. Sasuke smiled at his brother who was seated at his father's side, his face unusually pale. He wondered what had been said during his absence to make his brother so upset.

"Well—take a seat, already." The business tycoon said, and Kakashi pulled Sasuke into an empty seat at his brother's side. The gray haired bodyguard took his stance behind Fugaku, making sure his presence was known to the other business clientele in the room. Surprisingly, whenever he took his current stance, people were far less likely to argue with Fugaku. He frowned.

"Alright, so that's where we are. Shisui will take over the industry until Itachi has graduated."

Itachi spoke in a low tone from beside him. "Father, I'm nearly 18. I assure you that I am perfectly capable of handling your assets."

Fugaku glared impatiently at his son and licked his lips. "Itachi, you and I both know that you're not ready for this type of responsibility. Or do I need to bring up the events of last week?"

Sasuke watched as his brother's face grew paler, and he wondered what events they were speaking of. He hadn't heard of anything bizarre.

From the end of a table, a thin male with stringy hair spoke. "Shisui is the best choice aside from Itachi. He's meant for great things."

Sasuke sat still, wondering why he was at this meeting. As if answering his thoughts, his father turned to him.

"Sasuke, how was your day?"

Sasuke blinked, not used to the attention. "Fine, father."

Fugaku examined him momentarily before turning his attention to Itachi. He seemed to be in deep thought before he spoke.

"I have another request to make concerning the inheritance of this company."

Itachi seemed to tense beside Sasuke and the small child felt himself growing nervous. He didn't understand exactly what was happening, but it obviously wasn't in his brother's favor.

There was a series of nods from a round the table and the mogul continued.

"Itachi and Sasuke are to share joint ownership of Uchiha Industries upon Shisui's departure. Sasuke should be grown up by then…and able to handle things in a proprietorship."

Sasuke heard his brother growl and his eyes went wide. He had never imagined his father to be naming heirs so quickly, and he wondered what had brought this situation on.

"Is this you telling me that you don't think I can handle it on my own?" Itachi said lightly, his voice surprisingly calm for the anger in his expression. The boys' father looked stern and passive.

"This isn't a discussion for the boardroom."

There was a pregnant pause before the stringy haired man spoke again.

"What if something happens to Shisui while he is in charge?"

There was a pause and low words tumbled from Fugaku's mouth. "I trust that his bodyguard will keep anything from happening to him. But…if Shisui can no longer hold the position, it will be transferred to Itachi until Sasuke becomes of age to share partnership."

There was a long pause and Sasuke glanced up to his brother, wondering why the older boy had decided to smile at that moment.

* * *

Naruto groaned. 

The light above his keeping had flickered out hours ago, and he sat in the dark, huddled on the makeshift bed. The room was cold and caused goose pimples to rise on his arms, a sensation that made him rub his skin eagerly to illicit some heat.

After a long sigh he strained his eyes, trying for the umpteenth time to make out his surroundings. And, to match all of his previous attempts, he could still only discern that there were several boxes and pieces of electronic equipment stacked haphazardly around. He shook his head with irritation, his stomach beginning to tighten.

"I wonder if I'm going to die here."

The thought was more than passing, and the gravity of it weighed heavy on his chest. He was proud of his confrontation with Sakura and even more pleased to know that Sasuke and the others were far from harm's way. As long as Fang had him, there was no reason for his new friends to get hurt—and this thought made the anxious tensions in his stomach subside. He stifled a nervous laugh, however, when he contemplated what his companions could be up to.

Sasuke was probably furious. The more Naruto thought about it, the more he was sure of it. After all, they had intended to meet…and Naruto had even intended on telling Sasuke about his newfound emotions. It was funny how the world worked—Naruto was almost beginning to believe that he held a curse for bad timing. But after a silent chuckle, his thoughts deepened.

_"After all, Sasuke has to get a piece of _everyone_ in this godforsaken town…"_

Sakura had said that. Naruto vividly remembered the way the words fell from her lips and how he had been slightly distracted by them. What had she meant anyway?

To be honest, Naruto hadn't thought much about what having a relationship with Sasuke would be like. It was embarrassing for him to think about. While he recognized that his feelings for the older man went far deeper than that of friendship, it wasn't easy to commit to homosexuality. In fact, there was a huge part of him that felt terrified at the thought, even though he had been living among it for nearly a year already.

Sakura's comment replayed itself in his head, and he frowned. In a way, it made sense. Sasuke had to of had relationships before—he was an attractive man and he was rich. In Naruto's opinion those to facts alone could attract a circus of easy-to-please men. Not to mention, when Naruto first met Sasuke, he had been mistaken for a male escort.

Naruto leaned back against a cool tiled wall, crossing his arms over his chest and bringing his feet into an Indian style cross. The more he thought about it, the more angry he felt himself become. He recognized his jealousy almost immediately and he shook his head.

"This is ridiculous." He ran his hands through his hair, ruffling it gently and avoiding the sore spot in the back. No matter where he was or what he was doing, Sasuke was always in his thoughts. Even now, in sight of Sakura and Itachi, he couldn't feel nervous or timid—because every time he would question the present, Sasuke's voice would penetrate his thoughts.

_"I worry about you…"_

Maybe it had been wrong of him to leave without a fight. He had a feeling that if he ever saw Sasuke again he would hear a mouthful, but he hoped that the raven would just stay away. After all, Naruto considered himself guilty for both of their losses, and an even bigger part of him had begun to wonder if Sasuke even liked him.

Well, not like, but love. Love sounded childish—Naruto grimaced. He wanted to know if Sasuke felt the same way about him, and thinking about it made his head hurt. Was he just an asset to Uchiha Industries? Or maybe Sasuke only acted so intimate out of nature—like it was natural. Because Neji acted very similar, and so did Gaara despite his reprise. These feelings made Naruto frown—was he just another cog in the Uchiha machine?

There was a loud rustling and a shuffle from the opposite of the room, and Naruto heard Kankuro's familiar baritone voice. He was dragging someone into the basement, and the other person wasn't having it. Naruto's heart skipped a beat, hoping to God that it wasn't Sasuke, but the stranger let out a few muffled arguments and Naruto safely assessed that it was no one he recognized.

"You're lucky the light's out, nitwit." Kankuro managed, and Naruto made out the older man's bulky figure from across the way, tossing the agitated victim into a holding cell. At least, that's what he assumed, because he heard the familiar creak of an iron gated door from the distance.

Naruto saw Kankuro's figure ascend the stairway, and as soon as the upper level door closed he leaned forward, somewhat curious about the other captive.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, and there was a shuffling from across the room. Naruto waited a few moments before asking his question again, to which he was immediately and incorrigibly answered.

"Who the hell are you to care!?"

Naruto's face narrowed in irritation and he sat back against the wall, feeling his intrigue fade away. He had dealt with enough jerks for one day, and even if he and the other person shared captivity, it wasn't enough for him to push for conversation.

He yawned and lay on his back, wondering what time it was.

After a moment, the voice echoed from across the room.

"_Well?_"

Naruto glanced to the side, wondering what the other person was talking about.

"Well what?" Naruto said, his voice thick. There was another pause before the voice, a low male one, sifted to his ears.

"Well, who are you?"

Naruto snorted. He debated on revealing his identity and decided that for humor's sake, he would do just that.

"A prisoner, obviously. You?"

A low grunt sounded from the other man. "Very funny."

There was a long pause and Naruto found himself counting cracks on the ceiling overhead. The building seemed surprisingly old despite its plethora of technology. He contemplated it for a moment before pursing his lips. From across the way, the other man spoke.

"What's your crime?"

Naruto tilted his head to the side, as if to catch a glimpse of the other stranger. The room was too dark, however, and he frowned.

"You know—knowing too much for my own good. Same old, same old."

"You're an idiot if you can laugh off this situation." The voice said sorely, and Naruto rolled his eyes. Obviously. But he wasn't one to surrender easily, no matter how fearful he felt.

"Crying about it won't help. And what about you? What did you do to get thrown into the basement?" Naruto couldn't help the gentle sarcasm that tinted his words and he wondered vaguely why he was acting so playful. The conditions definitely didn't call for it.

"I tried to kill her." The voice almost whispered, and Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"You what?" A small part of him was shocked.

"Sakura. I tried to kill her."

Aside form the surprise, a bigger part of Naruto was slightly disappointed that he hadn't succeeded. Not that he wished death on her, but Sakura being out of the picture seemed to make the situation a little more bearable. He paused a moment and then spoke again.

"I didn't succeed."

"That's too bad." He said softly, hoping his meaning would translate. He pulled his hands behind his neck and breathed deeply.

There was a long pause before the other man spoke, his voice weaker than his attitude had led on.

"Do you have friends…you know, out there?" The other voice questioned, and Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, but with luck they'll stay far away from here."

The figure snorted. "Right. 'Cause that's what friends do. They always manage to fuck things up."

Naruto pursed his lips. "What?"

The figure was quiet for a moment before it yelled, the sounds of crashing boxes coming form across the room. He had knocked things over.

"It's not even _his_ kid, that bitch. I mean, for Christ's sake!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. A child? Surely he didn't mean Sakura had one. He turned on his side and asked a question.

"Who's child?"

But the other figure was still ranting and it was obvious to Naruto that he was venting to himself more than expecting comments in return.

"Sasuke's—I mean, it's not Sasuke's. God only knows how it happened…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. Sasuke had a child?

"Whoa, whoa. What are you talking about?"

There was a brief pause and the figure spoke heartily. "Don't tell me you don't know. Everyone who's fucking anyone knows."

Naruto sat up, his expression intent. "Obviously I don't. What are you talking about?"

There was a long drought of silence before a bubbly laughter filled the basement room.

"Alright, get this. I'll let you know, since you seem so clueless and all…"

Naruto's fist tightened at the insult and he bit his lip. The figure continued.

"It's the story of a girl who fell in love with a guy—a rich guy. Sasuke Uchiha, if you even know him. She did everything for the guy—even promised to have his kid. But like every fucking male here," there was a pause of disgust, "Sasuke Uchiha is gay."

Naruto leaned forward, expecting more. When nothing followed, he let out a low groan. "And so she had his kid?"

The figure chuckled and when he spoke, his voice was dark and toneless.

"Not a chance in hell. It was karma, that bitch. That kid has blonde hair and blue eyes."

Naruto felt an emotion he had never felt before. A tightening sensation and a surge of nervous adrenaline. His mind went blank temporarily, and his lips trembled.

_How was it possible? _

The figure continued ranting, and excited anger bubbling form his lips.

"Hey, do you believe in fate? I sure do. I know exactly who that kid's dad is…"

Naruto peered up, his face pale and clammy. He was shaking and his voice trembled.

"Who?" It barely came out as a whisper.

"You wouldn't know him," he said and Naruto felt himself edging closer to the gates of the cell. "But he was my best friend. She killed him. And fucking hell, I'm going to kill her."

Naruto fell to his knees and breathed hard, his hands skimming the chain-link fence material of the gated door. He placed his forehead against it, letting his mind race.

"K-kiba." He said softly, and the figure suddenly stopped moving. Naruto's heart was beating hard against this temple, and he could only think one continuous line. She had a baby, she had a baby…

"What did you call me?" the figure asked, his tone somewhat curious.

Naruto didn't hear him though, his head felt like it was being hammered in.

"She…"

"How do you know my name?" The figure sounded almost desperate.

"She had…my baby…"

There was a short period of silence until the figure let out a long and desperate murmur.

"Naruto."

The blonde looked up, his face fallen. "Kiba."

And after a short pause, Naruto regained his composure, his brain accepting the new information. An anger overwhelmed him and he clenched his fists, standing up to match his inner integrity. He finally had one of them cornered, and he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity.

"Naruto…how can it be you…"

"Nice to see you, too." His voice was low and unforgiving. "Now, if you would, tell me what the fuck has happened since I've been gone."

There was a long brief period of silence before the other figure spoke.

* * *

OOooooh. The plot thickens..._again._

Hahaha. I can almost feel the plethora of questions you guys have, but you'll just have to keep waiting for my updates for answers!

YaY. Well, on to post the rest.

Luv Luv 3


	39. Puzzle Pieces

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** A big hug to all of my reviewers who broke me into the 900s. I can't believe I might hit 1,000.

Really...I can't.

You all make me so happy.

And thank you so much to Allys who has taken on the task of being my wonderful and talented beta. ::hugs::

* * *

**Chapter 39: Puzzle Pieces**

Sasuke blanched, not at all content with the plan their small group had conceived. It would take too much time—time he wasn't positive Naruto had. Though he had mentally decided that Fang wanted Naruto for his scientific know-how, he still couldn't bring himself to assume they would keep him alive. Especially if Naruto refused to help them which he found himself praying would be the case.

"This is ridiculous. By the time you contact Morino, they'll have skipped town."

Neji looked up at Sasuke, his expression more serious than usual. The both of them had never truly gotten along, and now wasn't the time for arguing. Frustration was building in the room as they struggled to make a quick decision.

Jiraiya sat with his head bowed slightly, a deep thought overwhelming his features. He scratched the tip of his nose as the two younger men glared at each other idly, and glanced up when Neji retorted.

"We don't have time to argue about this. And just what do you intend on doing, anyway? Barge into their corporate office and demand him back? They've got the Subaku's at hand, you realize."

"If that's what it takes." Sasuke said, his tone completely serious.

Neji raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"That's stupid and you know it. Our best plan of action is to make sure we're not outnumbered when we get there."

Sasuke was cool for a moment and Chouji, who was playing with the hem of his shirt in nervous concentration, let out a low sigh.

"Guys, let's not argue. I think Neji's right though—I mean, he's the only one of us trained in any sort of combat… if we just waltzed in, we'd be dead."

Neji snorted and Sasuke frowned.

"Sasuke is perfectly able to defend himself," Neji said briskly, and Chouji's eyes widened at the remark.

Sasuke was glaring daggers at the pale-eyed boy who continued with a grim satisfaction.

"Kakashi was his _mentor _after all. And besides," Neji slammed his fists on the table, meeting the Uchiha's gaze with a cruel intensity, "It's not like it's abnormal for Uchihas to enjoy a good killing."

Neji dodged a perfectly aimed punch that Sasuke had directed at his nose, but his eyes widened as the corporate heir clambered across the table, diving at him with an untamed fury. Chouji and Jiraiya were immediately up and away from the scene, gaping in astonishment as Sasuke grabbed the collar of Neji's shirt and pushed him roughly onto the floor.

Neji smirked idly and pushed upwards, placing a sharp blow to Sasuke's midsection, and one that made the raven-haired boy tumble over to the side. He wasn't completely defeated though, and he pulled his fist back, connecting it with the creamy skin of his opponent's torso. Neji doubled back and Sasuke let out a low growl.

"Don't' you ever, _ever_ say _anything_ like that again!"

Jiraiya dodged forward at the break for dialogue and grabbed Sasuke, pulling him back with a strained force. Rock Lee, who had been witnessing the debate silently from the corner of the room rushed forward as well, taking Neji by the arm.

"Both of you…" he almost scolded, and Neji and Sasuke glared needles at each other.

"I will go to Naruto," Jiraiya said, and his sudden statement drew forth all of the attention in the room.

Sasuke's head whipped backwards and he frowned, "Wha—"

"I know what Naruto knows… and I know more about Fang than any of you. I can buy us time until you all get in contact with who you need to."

Rock Lee released Neji and the pale-eyed boy dusted himself off after running slender fingers through his knotted hair. He looked skeptical, and he bit his lip.

"They don't really have a reason to keep you alive though—they only need one of you."

Jiraiya almost chuckled, a steely sound that filled the room, "I have the Gamabunta. Of course they'll want to keep me alive."

"Jiraiya, you are very brave," Lee was smiling honestly, and the older man rubbed his temple in embarrassment.

"It has nothing to do with bravery. Naruto appears to be important to a great deal of people here—and I'm sure he's going to want answers from someone."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as the older man released him and glared.

"Answers for what?"

Jiraiya frowned.

"Everything you haven't told him."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room before Sasuke turned his expression downward, his eyes burning.

"There was no reason to tell him."

Neji snorted and tossed a firearm towards Jiraiya.

"Be quick, and be smart. We'll probably meet up with you in two days. And Jiraiya," Neji's tone got serious, "do _not_ let them skip town."

The older man nodded and sifted towards the doorway, Lee looking forlorn.

"Be careful, sir."

His voice sounded young and passionate.

"Right. I'll be seeing all of you in a couple days."

He left casually, not an air of nervousness in his figure. The small group looked on with nervous concern, and suddenly Lee spoke, "How are you planning on contacting Morino?"

There was a lengthy pause before Neji licked his lips and answered, "To be honest, I'm a wanted A class criminal. They'll be expecting me to sneak around… so the best plan of action is to hit Morino head on."

"We're going straight to the station?" Sasuke sounded slightly skeptical as he eyed the other man.

"Yes, _we_ are. It's your family they think Naruto killed."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and felt his muscles begin to unwind. He breathed in a deep breath and nodded.

From beside him, Lee ventured a comment, "What would you like me to do?"

Neji and Sasuke glanced to each other momentarily before coming to a silent conclusion. Sasuke was the one to explain it.

"Find Yamato and Kakashi. In two days we're going to invade the Fang Corporation, and we're going to need as many people as possible—especially with the Subaku family as our opponents."

"We need to keep this situation quiet and contained though. If the media finds out, it won't be Fang that feels the repercussions; it will be Uchiha Industries."

"I agree," Sasuke said, and he turned to Chouji. "You should get back to Shikamaru and Hinata. Tell them what's going on."

The pudgy boy shook his head in a positive motion and stood up from the floor, running a hand through his brunet hair.

"Are you two really going to be alright?" Chouji asked, glancing back and forth between the two rivals. They peered at each other briefly and nodded in unison.

"There's no time for arguing," Neji said, and Sasuke grunted in agreement.

"Right. I need to go then," Lee said, pushing himself off the frame of the door and heading away, eager to get moving. He only had two days to track two of the most elusive people in the world.

Chouji stood solemnly and raised his eyebrow at the two boys. "Hey, do you guys need a lift?"

Neji looked firmly at Sasuke and nodded in decision. Sasuke spoke, "Yeah. To the Konoha Metropolitan Police Department."

Neji almost smiled, "It's about time I said 'hi' to my friends."

Sasuke stepped forward towards the door and smiled dimly, "And it's about time we left."

The remaining trio departed the furnished room, the cogs of their plan set into motion.

* * *

"I don't believe you."

Kiba's voice was exactly as Naruto remembered it, but for the life of the blond haired boy, he couldn't bring himself to recognize it. It seemed so distant to him and the thought of having his best friend nearly twenty feet from him was making angry beads of sweat form on his brow.

"You don't have to. I just want you to fill in all the missing pieces."

After Naruto thought about it for a moment, he let his eyes narrow. In all actuality, he couldn't bring himself to think of the wild-haired, wide-eyed brunet as his best friend anymore. Sasuke had inherited that title, and he felt worlds closer to Neji and Shikamaru than he did to the darkened shadow fidgeting from across the way.

"There's no way you're Naruto. There's no way you could be alive."

"I didn't die, Kiba. I woke up on Sover Street and just happened to meet all of the right people. Although, I do have to admit I'm surprised. I figured you'd be in charge of this whole shindig—but I guess karma put you down here, where you belong."

There was a long bout of silence before the other boy spoke, and Naruto was surprised at how firm it sounded. It fit with his memory of Kiba, always strong and rebellious.

"I don't know who's been feeding you information, but I've spent the last two fucking years here trying to reverse the damage Itachi's done. Don't start playing blame-game shit on me because you're in a tough situation."

Naruto snorted, "We're both in a tough situation, if that's the truth."

"It_ is_ the truth."

Naruto paused a moment before he felt his anger begin to dwindle, recognizing the familiar sound of honesty from the other side of the room. He let his shoulders relax and he traced the outline of the gate, his lips moving to form words.

"Kiba… tell me what happened."

His voice sounded weaker than he had intended it to. More than anything he wanted to know the truth and arguing with his childhood friend wasn't going to get him any closer to the answers he desperately desired.

"I still don't believe that you're Naruto. This could be one of Itachi's tricks."

Naruto let out an irritated sigh and threw his head back.

"For Christ's sake Kiba, what do you want me to do? Hablo con tu en espanol? Oh, wait, you took German… Maybe name off every teacher we've had together? Or maybe do our retarded secret handshake from middle school? I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and you better just believe it."

There was a pause and Naruto could sense that the other man was absorbing the information. He was completely caught off guard, however, when a bout of chuckles erupted from the other side. Naruto pouted, obviously frustrated, and let out a sigh.

"What's so funny?"

After a few more laughs, Kiba spoke, "You remember Spanish? And here I thought you slept through those classes… "

Naruto let out a defeated chuckle, "She gave enough homework that I didn't need to stay awake. And, her classes were bor-_ing_."

There was a period of silence before Kiba spoke, "It really is you, isn't it?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Duh. Haven't we been through this?"

Kiba sounded defensive, "Don't blame me for trying to protect my own hide. How did you even manage to survive?"

Naruto pondered for a moment before answering.

"Like I said before, Itachi doesn't know anything about cryogenics. To be honest, I think he screwed up… He wanted my thesis, but he didn't realize it was incomplete."

"It was incomplete?" Kiba asked sounding shocked.

Naruto nodded even though he realized the other boy probably couldn't see the action through the darkness.

"Wait, before I explain, you need to tell me what happened with you."

From across the room, Naruto could almost make out Kiba fidgeting before he spoke again, "And don't worry about my party. I already know about all of that. Just start with what happened when you arrived here, in the future."

Naruto sat down on his bed and knelt back against the wall, expecting a story. When Kiba's explanation was short, he frowned.

"It's a really long story, Naruto."

The blond glanced around the room and let out a deep breath, "It looks like we've got plenty of time, Kiba."

There was a moment of silence where Kiba could be heard shifting positions, and he began his story.

* * *

_Three Years Previous_

Kiba was nervous.

The entire situation was unsettling for him—which wasn't surprising. Who in the world could announce that in one day they had murdered their closest friend, traveled mysteriously to the future, followed the dictations of a rumored millionaire, and witnessed the near-death experience of a perverted old man?

Him, that's who. And as the old man stood tall over the small group that consisted of Itachi, Sakura, and himself, he felt his spine stiffen.

"Uchiha Itachi. Why am I not surprised to see you here?"

The man had wild grey hair and strong facial features. His narrowed eyes weren't surprised, which intimidated Kiba since Itachi had just broken into what appeared to be the old man's laboratory. As he glanced around the stale dated room, he was reminded of Naruto, and his chest tightened.

"My dear old professor Jiraiya. It seems that you've already figured me out."

Kiba stared, slightly confused as the older man's expression tensed and he felt like the odd one out. Whatever Itachi had planned wasn't good. It made him feel sick to his stomach as he watched Itachi shake a binder of paperwork towards the man—the only research Sakura had managed to scavenge from Naruto's apartment and Shino's car (which in his opinion had mysteriously appeared).

Even Sakura looked frazzled by the situation though he could tell, with a morbid resentment, that she was strangely attached to the pale and secretive older male. How she could cheat on Naruto with such a psychopath Kiba would never know, but the truth of the matter was that he had no one else to trust. He was in the future, something hard enough to digest on its own, and above that he had no one to turn to. Even as he attempted to encourage himself mentally, his logic did nothing to strengthen his resolve.

"I never thought you would take it this far, Itachi," The old man named Jiraiya said, and he narrowed his eyes in disappointment. "You told me you wanted to better Uchiha Industries, not destroy it."

The black haired boy smirked, an expression that made Kiba fear for the old man's life. When he spoke, his voice was cool and rigid.

"I told you I wouldn't settle for second place. Not with Shisui and definitely not with my little brother. And with your and Sarutobi's machine, I've got all of the research I need to create my own company."

His voice drifted off into silence and Kiba narrowed his eyes, "Sarutobi?"

For the first time Jiraiya seemed to notice there were other people in the room and his expression darkened.

"You had to drag some innocent kids into this too, didn't you?"

His voice sounded disgusted and Kiba spoke again.

"How has Sarutobi been here?" he asked quickly, focusing his attention on the older man. Any friend of Sarutobi's was a friend of his—he knew from Naruto that the man was one of a kind.

"With this," Itachi answered, waving Naruto's paperwork in his hands. And Kiba understood—the early testing that Naruto had been talking about, the secretive demeanor of the research. It was all for Sarutobi's sake. He had been put under and somehow ended up in the future.

"That paperwork won't do you any good," Kiba said, beginning to understand his intentions. After receiving a dark glance he narrowed his eyes and clarified, taking a step closer to the wild old man.

"They're just notes and it's just a theory. It doesn't tell you how to _build_ anything."

He seemed to have guessed right and he knew because the dark-haired man's expression turned volatile. Itachi had wanted to build a cryo-chamber. Why, Kiba had no idea. But it made him even more nervous around the older male. As if to answer his questions, Jiraiya spoke.

"Sasuke has already gotten close to creating a working cryonic research facility. Even with this 'research' you speak of, you're still behind."

Kiba wondered why he wasn't trying to calm Itachi down instead of making him angrier.

From behind him, Sakura spoke, "Naruto was brilliant. I'm sure these papers have more than enough information—"

Kiba stepped forward, strangely upset by her naiveté.

"His thesis isn't there. Sakura—I was angry before… but this, this is just pushing it—"

She stepped towards Itachi, her expression cold.

"Kiba, we can't change anything. Choose a side. I've chosen mine."

Kiba was confused. A side? A side of what? Even though it was obvious Itachi was attempting to create his own company, Kiba hardly saw what she was talking about. From behind him the old man spoke.

"Well, what is it? Are you on Naruto's side, or his?" Jiraiya motioned towards Itachi, and though Kiba was thoroughly confused he lowered his head.

"Naruto's, of course."

"Naruto's dead!" Sakura spat and in an instant Jiraiya overturned one of the lab tables causing it to crash into a glass wall of amphibians.

Frogs leapt like bouncing balls through the room and Itachi cradled the binder close to him after he cursed at the old man. Kiba watched as Sakura fell to the floor, holding her hands over her head. She glared up at Kiba through the commotion.

"You're not the only one who read and _knows_ his thesis, moron."

And from beside him, Jiraiya appeared.

"I'm sorry, kiddo but I can only take one of you. And right now, she seems to be more dangerous."

Jiraiya whisked through the commotion to the pink-haired girl and grabbed her arm, roughly tearing her out of the building. As the animals settled and disappeared, Kiba looked on in confusion, surprised when Itachi only smirked.

"Such an idiot."

Kiba raised an eyebrow and he continued.

"She'll find her way to Sasuke and destroy him from the inside."

Kiba looked towards the door as the realization slowly overwhelmed him. He was no longer free in his decisions. He was a puppet and captive of Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

"I've been here ever since."

Naruto felt his heart ache at the recollection but it only fueled his anger towards Itachi. What had driven the man to become so competitive towards his younger brother Naruto would never know, but the fact that he had been so cruel towards _his _Sasuke made his heart pound intensely. He stood up and knelt against the gate of his cell.

"Was he able to create a tube?" he asked, and Kiba snorted from across the way.

"Yeah, but there are too many cryonic problems. Brain damage and things like that… I think that's why he wanted you here."

Naruto's face soured. He was a puppet, just like his friends before him. He paced around in the darkness, another thought weighing on his mind.

"Kiba… what did you mean about me having a child?"

Before Kiba could answer the upstairs door whipped open and a tall familiar figure descended. Naruto let his heartbeat slow. Hey, if he hadn't known about a kid for two years, another few hours couldn't hurt.

And by the looks of Uchiha Itachi, he needed as much time as he could get.

* * *

A/N-- Phew.

Are you guys good with me updating on Sundays? I dunno why but I was thinking about it and I thought...most people probably have school on Mondays and I wondered if it was an inconvenient day. Hmm...

Also, something really amazing happened at work today, so I'm going to share it with you:

For those of you who don't know, I work at a bank (the only bank open 7 days a week::tear::) and as anyone in customer service would admit, a great deal of customers are are either angry, rude, or both. So it's a rarity when someone truly genuine enters my banking life and today, one did.

There is a woman who visits my branch regularly who is an amazing person, always happy and always polite. She has had cancer for the past year, and unfortunitely she will not make it to New Years. She has been to the branch frequently the last few weeks in order to make sure her money is taken care of, and today she brought in her college-going daughter to meet us tellers and become acqainted since our relationship with her is already strong.

While she was making a transaction, a young girl about my age came through the drive through wanting to withdraw some money but her check hadn't cleared into the account yet. She looked very sad, but instead of arguing or getting upset she simply nodded. There was a moment's pause before a voice caught me off guard--and it was the voice of the daughter in the lobby. She was rummaging through her purse and handed me a twenty dollar bill.

"Give it to her." She said, and she motioned it towards me. I looked at her for a moment and she spoke again. "She doesn't know me, and I don't know her. But we both know about life and how tough things can really be."

I took the money and sent it through the tube, and explained tot he girl in the car what had happened. She started crying as she took the money, and a weight of wonder came over my co-workers and I.

This world is a truly wonderful place, guys.

Pay it forward.


	40. End of the Line

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Thank you for all of the reviews! I'm so happy that this plot has become so well-rounded and I'm even more excited that it entertains so many people, including myself. I've left some author's notes at the bottom, as usual.

* * *

**Chapter 40: End of the Line**

Though Sasuke knew 'meeting Morino head on' was a figure of speech, he couldn't help but mutter to himself as Neji led him through an underground series of boiler rooms and steam compartments. Aside from the use of solar energy was the fairly archaic employment of the steam engine—a device so old Sasuke could hardly imagine it still existed.

He grit his teeth in annoyance as a puff of hot condensation saturated the polyester fabric of his shirt and ran a hand through his dampening hair.

From ahead of him Neji seemed equally as displeased, his mouth curled downward in a frown as they maneuvered through the tunnel of energy provision. His hands crept cautiously along rusted handrails, his feet crackling along the gravel base of the passageway.

Far off in the distance Sasuke spotted a small angle of light and almost as soon as his eye picked it out of the darkness, Neji paused and turned to him.

"We're almost there. I think it would be best for us to get weapons first. If I remember correctly, there should be a government vault up ahead."

The long-haired brunet hardly left room for comment before he continued forward, and Sasuke followed somewhat irritably behind him. As the line of machinery ended Neji vaulted over the rusting railing towards the outermost wall of the underground channel, placing his hands on the wall like a mime in a street show.

Sasuke stood behind him, arms crossed and mouth sullen, glancing around to make sure the creaking and groaning noises he heard were nothing more than settling machinery. His shirt felt sticky against his torso and his hair felt damp and dirty, and as he heard one of the engines whistle into action he covered his ears in wonderment. How anyone had created such a beast of a device he would never know, and how anyone could stand to work next to one he didn't want to fathom.

A gun was thrust in front of his face before he had time to contemplate it and he squinted his eyes to view the tiny inlet Neji had discovered. It was no bigger than a miniature laundry chute and crammed somewhat cleverly with all sorts of devices that shimmered with condensation. Sasuke raised an eyebrow skeptically as Neji waved the gun in annoyance, eyeing him with a look that urged him to take it.

"I don't know, Neji. Do you really want to give an _Uchiha_ a gun?"

Deep inside he knew it wasn't the time to be argumentative but in the same light, he hadn't really had a chance to get over the police officer's earlier comment. He couldn't understand why Neji spoke to him so freely in the first place and the fact that Neji held no intimidation furthered Sasuke's irritation.

"Just shut up and take it," Neji responded, his eyes looking bored.

Sasuke obeyed reluctantly, snatching it from the other and eyeing it with an obvious distaste. Neji retrieved a small gun for himself before closing the secret vault and Sasuke dangled the weapon in front of him by the trigger loop.

"I'm not going to use this," he said flatly, and Neji cocked his revolver into submission.

"You don't have to. All you have to do is _look_ threatening and for you, that shouldn't be a challenge."

Sasuke resisted the urge to pummel the other man, his thoughts turning of Naruto instead. As much as he wanted to argue with Neji, he didn't have the time or the patience. As Neji folded his palm over the slick weapon Sasuke noticed that he wasn't the only one focused on Naruto's wellbeing. Neji hardly looked as serious as he did now and it made Sasuke bite back his pride.

As the duo reached the small pool of light from the street above, Neji motioned Sasuke into a small elevator on the side.

"This is ancient," Sasuke said and he winced as it groaned beneath his weight.

Neji rolled his eyes.

"You're such a baby. If you're going to stick with Naruto you better get used to things like this. He's going to be attracted to it, after all."

Sasuke snorted, not sure of how to take Neji's comment. On one hand it sounded promising, like Neji was encouraging the relationship the two ere building. On the other hand it sounded like Neji was irritated and perhaps even jealous.

"Of course I'm going to 'stick with' him," he countered, feeling defensive.

Neji pressed a few buttons and the elevator chugged upward, Sasuke gripping a sidelong handle after the jerky motion.

"And besides, with his motion sickness, I doubt he'll be making extra efforts to find manual elevators."

Neji ignored the extra comment, focusing on the one previous. He leaned back against the gated siding and crossed his arms.

"Do you love him?"

The question was awkward, simply because Sasuke didn't know the answer. He hadn't thought of _loving_ Naruto before even though he couldn't deny caring strongly for him. Aside from his wandering thoughts of love and ideals the raven snorted. Why Neji felt he had a right to Sasuke's pretenses was another spark to his and the brunet's rivalry.

"Why should it matter to you?" Sasuke asked, truly curious. Aside from his interest in Neji's nosiness, he was a little afraid to admit that he couldn't answer 'yes' or 'no'..

"You evading the question is answer enough," Neji snorted and even in the dimly lit area Sasuke could see him roll his eyes. This made him bristle and he stepped forward.

"What are you insinuating, Hyuuga?" he demanded.

After a brief pause Neji turned to him quickly, his eyes low and glimmering.

"It shouldn't be that difficult to answer, Uchiha. Are you in love with him or not?"

Sasuke paused for a minute, not used to the type of anger he saw in the Hyuuga's eyes. Usually when they had disputes it was an arrogant anger, or at least one that felt like family fueled competition. But this anger was different—it was concerned. And as Sasuke thought about it, he could understand why.

He was Sasuke Uchiha.

From his youth into adulthood men and women alike had vied for his attention and without any remorse on his part, had received it. After his parent's death he had been a troubled youth—a playboy by nature and a genius by trade. He was never known to have serious relationships and while his engagement with Sakura had been made public, he hardly even considered that little rendezvous anything serious. He licked his lips, knowing full well that his guard was slowly falling.

"I want to be," he said, and it wasn't a lie. What he felt for Naruto he hadn't felt for anyone before. He was possessive, protective, entertained, and fascinated every moment he was with the other man. Everything Naruto did and every odd reaction the blond experienced was something different—yes, different. Sasuke realized it a little too quickly for his own taste.

He wanted—no he _needed_ something different in his life. Uchiha Industries had taken over every ounce of adventure he had ever had and replaced it with a responsibility he felt obligated to endure. And while in his mind the job came off as a chore, he wouldn't trade it for the world. The company was his—and the only reflection of his parents.

But Naruto, he was different. He was free and calm, funny and laid back. He was clever and witty as well, and even though Sasuke felt materialistic, the kid was a looker. He couldn't count the times his sexual nature had urged him to take advantage of Naruto's naiveté but he had restrained himself well enough. He breathed deeply and glanced up, making eye contact with Neji.

"I wasn't expecting an answer like that from you," Neji said passively, his expression and tone fading from anger to resolve.

Sasuke took a deep breath, "Maybe you shouldn't assume you know me as well as you think."

The comment was confident and terse, and made Neji throw him a sidelong glance.

"You're such an ass. I don't see what he sees in you at all."

Sasuke's head jerked up to his partner's and he raised an eyebrow. Had Neji implied that Naruto was attracted to him? And if so, how did Neji know? He opened his mouth to ask but the elevator jammed to a halt and Neji stepped off impatiently, directing him to a large concrete door.

"When we exit this door we'll be right in front of the station. Keep your gun under wrap, but be prepared. Morino's not an easy guy to locate."

Sasuke nodded, wondering just what kind of trouble they were bound to encounter. Neji kicked open the door and dodged into a small room—one filled with several small lockers. Sasuke followed as Neji led the way, trying to mimic the other boy's cautious steps and movements. If it weren't for the nervous feeling in his chest he would have felt like a child playing spy, but the pounding in his chest made him focus extremely hard on Neji's actions.

Sasuke tiptoed through an open door after Neji into a room that looked more suited to conferences and both of the men jumped when a low voice sounded from behind them.

"Yo. It's about time you waltzed in."

Sasuke, though uncomfortable with the automatic weapon, pulled it out almost instantly. Neji had done the same, but as soon as he saw the figure parallel to them, he lowered it with a frown.

"You could have gotten shot, Genma," he said, and Sasuke glanced back and forth between the two before pulling his own revolver down to his side. He recognized the man as Neji's private doctor and he wondered vaguely why he had been waiting in an empty room to begin with.

"You wouldn't have shot me," he said and Neji countered in irritation.

"Not me. Him."

He did a head toss back to Sasuke who looked irritated. He shook his head and muttered.

"If youwant to get shot, keep on talking."

Sasuke waved the gun in the air playfully although his expression was enough to make the room grow cold. After a pregnant pause and a submissive wave of hands, Genma spoke again.

"We've been waiting for you. Morino put us on a Code 10-A—especially after what's happened at Uchiha Corporate."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and stepped forward, the mention of his company making his blood run cold, "What happened with my company?"

Neji belted his gun and strode forward towards Genma, motioning towards the door.

"Something I'm sure he can explain while we get to Morino's office, correct?"

Genma nodded but Sasuke stared holes into the older man's skull. They exited the room and made a right to an empty corridor before Genma spoke.

"Well, the department is divided. Half are on the Code 10-A for you and the other half are with Danzo in Security Central. They've pretty much barricaded the office, making it impossible for anyone to get in or out."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he clenched his fists, remembering that he had entrusted Hinata to handle his affairs. From beside him, Neji seemed angered as well.

"That's ridiculous. What's their gain?"

Genma led them into an empty conference room before they found a staircase which they dutifully took upwards.

"It's all a little bizarre right now. From what I gather, there's a huge movement to imprison all of the illegal travelers. Danzo's made it out to be like they're a threat or something, especially Uzumaki. Danzo and Morino have always had it out for each other, so we're pretty sure this is just a battle of wits between them."

They turned onto the third floor and paced down a narrow hallway of offices before Genma stopped outside of one.

"Hinata is fine; there's no need to worry. Morino probably has more to tell you than me about the situation."

Neji saluted the doctor and he repeated the action, motioning them towards the doorway. With one last confident glance to Sasuke, Neji opened the door and the two entered.

"Finally. I was beginning to wonder if they had got to you first."

Sasuke felt a chill run up his spine and was intimidated by Morino's tall and muscular stature. Morino was never someone to willingly challenge or underestimate, and as Sasuke met the man's weathered eyes he felt his own composure sink.

"I'm sorry for not replying to you sooner, sir." Neji was polite as ever, saluting the general in a way that made Sasuke feel like an average Joe. He bowed slightly and narrowed his eyes, hoping he hadn't given away his slightly fear of the towering officer.

"Uchiha, although it's a pleasure, I'm surprised to see you here. If you'd both like to sit, I think there's quite a bit we need to discuss." Morino finished the comment by closing the office door and locking it, making sure there would be no interruptions.

When he resumed his seat at the opposite end of a shiny cherry wood desk, Neji began.

"I apologize for not being able to properly explain earlier. The current situation is very serious, sir, and needs immediate attention."

"I can see that. I am aware that this situation involves not only Uchiha Sasuke here, but I have also been informed that it involves an illegal traveler—one who happens to be guilty of a very familiar massacre."

Morino finished the statement by placing a sly look to Sasuke, who frowned with impatience.

"Naruto didn't kill my family," he said quickly, and Neji jumped in almost immediately afterwards.

"The culprit is Uchiha Itachi. It's a very long story, and one I'm not entirely sure we have the time to explain," Neji's voice was curt but maintained a certain tone of respect.

"Then simplify. I've endangered men's lives for you; it's the least you could do."

Neji nodded, but Sasuke spoke.

"Naruto Uzumaki was born in the 20th century. He developed a theory concerning cryopreservation that could alter the development of cryogenic chambers—"

"—which was stolen by Uchiha Itachi using an earlier time travel device created by Jiraiya years ago. Itachi froze Naruto and left for the future—the time being three years ago—with two more illegal travelers. Sakura Haruno and another named Kiba."

Sasuke looked annoyed at the interruption from Neji but he continued the story.

"I believe that my brother is somehow connected with the Fang corporation as well as both Haruno and Kiba. Naruto has been taken hostage by them and with his knowledge time as we know it could be at stake."

Neji coughed, "Not to mention the thesis Naruto created could change a great deal of things here in the future…it could affect selective gender, medical research, as well as advanced preservation in cryogenic development."

Morino licked his lips after a silence and frowned.

"How does this Naruto relate to the death of the Uchiha family?"

Sasuke allowed Neji to speak simply because Neji had seen it with his own eyes.

"It was a lure from Itachi to obtain Naruto's thesis. Naruto is the one that saved Sasuke from that fire, definitely not the one who started it."

Sasuke's eyes widened briefly. He hadn't been familiar with that particular piece of the story. He didn't remember much from that painful night in his past and he felt a small amount of remorse for Naruto's sake.

"This is all very confusing," Morino said suddenly, and Neji nodded.

"All that is important now is that Uzumaki is in the wrong hands. If his knowledge is used the wrong way…"

"I understand."

Morino folded his wrists under his chin and sat forward in his seat, his expression weary.

"I mean, if I understand this situation, without the thesis from Uzumaki…everything would be relatively normal here, correct?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, not liking the tone of the commander's voice.

Neji nodded, "Yes, but his ideas are very valuable to our society in general."

Morino appeared to be thinking.

"Are the theories something that can be deciphered by Uchiha Industries?" he asked, and Sasuke was surprised that the question was directed at him. He nodded carefully.

"Alright, I've made my decision. As an officer and general for the New States I must do what is best for the security and preservation of this nation."

Sasuke tilted his head, his heart pounding hard against his chest.

"My special task force will help you obtain Uzumaki, along with any devices pertaining to the time travel you have experienced."

Sasuke let out a breath of relief too soon.

"And as soon as Uzumaki has been secured by this station, he will be returned to his own time period. We will further his ideas in this period, and his return should calm Danzo's rampage."

Like any words that exited Morino's mouth, Sasuke knew that they were final. His heart stung and his head hurt and when he peered down at his hands he could see them shaking with anger. Without warning he stood up, his expression firm.

"You can't send him back."

Neji glanced up at Sasuke and the raven-haired boy could tell that Neji felt the same even if he wasn't willing to say it. Morino raised an eyebrow.

"Ho, ho! What is this? I never would have imagined an Uchiha being so protective over a complete stranger."

Sasuke grit his teeth, "You _won't_ send him back."

Morino's playful expression turned cold and he narrowed his eyes. Sasuke stared back, anger bubbling from him like boiling water about to overflow.

"I will do what I see fit to do. Last I checked, you were President of Uchiha Industries, not anything close to government protocol. When Uzumaki is obtained, he _will _be returned."

Sasuke stared, unsure of what to say. Morino began to fill Neji in on the new plan of action, but when it came to Sasuke, the words fell on deaf ears.

* * *

A/N-- Thank you Allys 

Alright guys, I've made a decision. I really REALLY want to do some fanart for this story, but as the author, it's hard to tell which scenes are the most desired. I mean, I see everything in my head so it's hard to say, _That_ scene would look brilliant on paper!

And so, to alleviate my stress and celebrate 1,000 reviews (which seems to be right around the corner) I'm leaving it to you guys. Let me know and I'll just pick the most frequent suggestion. I need the practice for digital anyway and I've been promising you guys some art for a while so I figured now would be a good time.

**SPOILERS**

I wanna see Sasuke and Naruto and Itachi, man! I mean, I love Jiraiya to tears but...well...I love Naruto loads more.

Until next week!


	41. Gaining Momentum

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** One thousand reviews as of today! Thank you!

And also to Allys, my wonderful, amazing, inspiring beta!

And to Akaru-chan, wherever you may be. ::hugs::

* * *

**Chapter 41: Gaining Momentum**

Neji didn't have much of a chance to speak before Sasuke's fist connected with his jaw, sending the echo of a bone-splitting _crack_ through the empty municipal hallway. It was an action that would land a normal person at least one night in prison, but conveniently, no one was around to arrest the raven haired mogul. As if this fact added fuel to his emotional fire, Sasuke's lips curled into a low growl as he shoved Neji back against the gentle corporate wallpaper, staring down with aggressive eyes.

"Why didn't you _say_ something!?" Sasuke demanded, jolting Neji's collar in his palm. He leaned forward in hope of an answer, but when Neji remained resolute and silent, he shook his head and cursed.

"You just fucking _sat_ there—you know Naruto can't be sent back—you know—"

"What do I know?" Neji said, and his expression was firm and bristled. He glared up at the Uchiha, his stance threatening in its own way. He licked his lips and kept talking after Sasuke didn't respond.

"What do I _know_, Uchiha, since you apparently know everything about me?"

There was a pause and Sasuke released him, though not from any form of surrender. He pulled his arms to his sides and barked out a response.

"You know Naruto can't be sent back. You know he shouldn't be."

For the first time Neji addressed his swollen lip, running a finger over it to collect a running stream of blood. He shook his head impatiently and closed his eyes, trying to calm his fading patience.

"You're not the only one who cares about him, Sasuke."

A heavy silence hung in the air as Sasuke digested his words, anger beginning to form on his lips. He buried his hands in his pockets and glared at the other boy, breathing deeply.

"If _you_ cared, you'd have said something."

Neji's head snapped up and he stared needles at Sasuke, his fists clenching at his side.

"Don't you get it, Sasuke? If Naruto stays here—he's in danger. Of course I don't want him to leave—but for Christ's sake, think about what Morino said."

Sasuke was silent for a moment before turning around and stalking away. From behind him, Neji's eyes widened.

"Where are you going?"

Sasuke didn't bother to stop or cock his head backwards, only blazed towards the hallway they had entered through with a forceful determination. His words were loud enough for Neji to hear.

"To get to him before you do."

Neji let his mouth hang for a moment before he dodged forward and around a back hallway, desperately trying to catch up with the other man. He hissed under his breath as he jogged to his side.

"Are you kidding? There are officers everywhere looking for us—we need to stay with Morino's task force."

Sasuke shook his head and bolted through the empty locker room door, his memory providing him with a perfect mental map of their entry. He ran a pale hand to his pocket and withdrew his gun, flashing the shiny rim of its handle where Neji could see it.

"I guess I'll have to learn to use this now, won't I?" He didn't bother making eye contact with the officer and continued forward even as Neji stopped, his face as perplexed as Sasuke had ever seen it.

Sasuke cruised out into the open latch area and readied himself to descend the rickety elevator they had arrived on, climbing onto it with a nervous anticipation. He wasn't afraid to face Fang on his own and he certainly didn't fear the police department. If he had to rescue Naruto himself, that's what he intended to do. With or without law enforcement support.

He turned to dial a floor entry and gripped the stern pull-down gate, surprised when it caught on something in its descent. Turning with agitation, he growled at the cause.

"Neji, what are you doing?"

The long-haired brunet had stopped the gate with what appeared to be a suitcase and tossed a backpack in between the two sliding doors. Slipping through the hole himself, he spoke with irritation.

"You think I'd let you go out there alone?" Neji didn't look at Sasuke as he collected his gear off the floor, shoving the backpack into the Uchiha's chest. Sasuke took it solemnly, examining Neji for more of an explanation. When no one said anything, Neji continued.

"You're so stubborn, it's annoying."

"That's why you've decided to help?"

Neji shook his head with impatience before cracking a sarcastic smile.

"That and if you were in jail and Naruto was caught I'd never hear the end of it."

Sasuke couldn't help but relax a little himself, strangely comforted to have a partner in crime. As the elevator hit ground level the two exited and Sasuke spoke quickly.

"What's the fastest way to Fang?"

Neji shook his head and raised his finger northward, the opposite of the way they had come. He licked his lips and turned to glance at Sasuke.

"We're making a pit stop. Morino gave me some paperwork and it looks like Lee found Yamato and Kakashi."

Sasuke looked vaguely skeptical, "And?"

Neji lowered his hand and narrowed his eyes, "And Danzo got them right after."

Sasuke stood silent and Neji paced forward, his expression looking taxed.

"Don't tell me you're giving up," he said, and Sasuke walked forward, his eyes intent and his expression challenging.

"You're an idiot."

Neji mumbled something about Sasuke being crazy, but it went unheard as the two men disembarked.

* * *

"Don't touch him, you _prick!"_ Naruto couldn't help but admire Kiba's forceful attempts at challenging Itachi but in all honesty, he was too distracted by the man to throw any insults himself. 

He had met Itachi once and even from his memory, nothing about the older male had stood out. But now, peering up deceptively at the formally dressed criminal, he found himself at a loss for words in the older Uchiha's presence. His eyes were darker than Sasuke's and his stature was dangerously demanding, with thin lips curled in an almost permanent smirk. Naruto watched those lips carefully, wondering if a forked tongue would emerge.

"How rude. I was merely inviting Mr. Uzumaki for some dinner since I'm sure he's hungry. It's been a long day, after all."

Naruto found himself slowly returning to his former angered self, letting his fists curl beside him and his eyelids grow heavy over his exhausted eyes. He stepped forward and placed a hand against the gating, leaning to the side with what he hoped was a dangerous swagger. When he spoke, his words were the darkest he'd ever heard them.

"What do you want, Itachi."

There was no question in Naruto's voice and as he let his eyes carve their way into his opponent's darker ones, he felt threatening on his own.

Itachi didn't seem phased, however, when he spun around and paced the room, his body languidly cruising the clustered basement area. He was smirking again, a face Naruto wished he could beat into non-existence. After a few more shuffles around the room, Itachi spoke.

"I don't suppose you knew, but you had a very interesting guest come for you earlier today."

Naruto tried to keep his eyes from widening in curiosity, but his instincts failed him. He lowered his hand from the gate and rounded his lips.

"Who?"

Itachi turned to him, amused, "A very well known man; one with a great deal of influence…"

Naruto hoped to God that it wasn't Sasuke. With all of his nerves and all of his willpower he hoped the other Uchiha would just stay away. And even though the name that exited Itachi's mouth wasn't Sasuke, the nerves he felt didn't release.

"Jiraiya. Funny that he would come all the way here for you, huh?"

Naruto didn't say anything but he pushed his hands into his pockets, wanting Itachi to get to the point. If Jiraiya had come—where was he now?

"Get to the point."

Naruto was being hasty with his words and he knew it. After Itachi gave him a harsh glare, he let his eyes narrow even more.

"The point is that I have a wonderful dinner upstairs and two of the leading minds in the scientific world at my disposal. It would be a shame if one of you were to…_disappear…_ over a dinner invitation."

Naruto thought for a moment, taking in the compromising situation. If what Itachi said was true and Jiraiya had come—for reasons unknown to him—they were both in danger. Naruto stepped backwards, allowing Itachi to release the lock to the gate if he chose to. From across the room, Kiba hollered.

"Naruto, don't do what he says—he's a manipulating sonova—"

"That will be quite enough from you," Itachi's voice was like poison and Kiba got painfully quiet.

"Unlike Naruto, I don't have _any_ reason to keep you alive."

Naruto exited his cell, glancing over to his friend with concerned eyes. Realizing Kiba was putting a great deal of faith in him made him more nervous than he liked, and without a second glance at his childhood friend he followed Itachi up the metal stairway. He heard Kiba let out an uncomfortable breath as the door slid shut behind him and Itachi turned to him suddenly.

"I've been waiting to meet you—_really_ meet you, for a very long time now. You are a very valuable asset to have. My brother was a fool for not using you when he had the chance."

Naruto glared with spite at the mention of Sasuke. He balled his fists in his pockets, attempting to keep his calm. He recognized his situation and if he behaved badly, there were two very important people to him that could get hurt.

"Sasuke was successful enough without me," Naruto said smoothly, playing on what he hoped to be a sibling rivalry. He struck gold with his comment as Itachi's eyes narrowed into a passive fury.

"And now you're going to make me more successful than him and Hyuuga combined."

Itachi stepped forward and Naruto followed, a chill creeping up his spine. He watched as Itachi walked in front of him, his figure gently rolling from side to side, his light skin paling under the striking overhead lights. His hair was smooth and layered awkwardly, and his gaunt complexion failed to match the corporate persona his button up shirt and designer slacks exhibited. His shoes clicked on the tile floor as well, and Naruto began to feel their silence as a weight on his morality.

This person, he thought, has killed people.

It was a strange thought—one that he knew but for some reason had refused to acknowledge until now. But looking at the older Uchiha, Naruto could only imagine what Sasuke's life had been like, or what kind of an older brother Itachi had been. The cold demeanor than sent Naruto's nerves awry couldn't have always existed, but now, as Naruto paced forward, all remnants of civility had vanished from the older man.

And as Naruto walked forward, following cautiously he felt each step burn through his feet and up into his calves—each movement forward bringing him closer and closer to becoming a pawn for some sick revenge. And as for a reason why, Naruto had no idea.

"We're here."

Itachi entered a small conference room that had been decorated immaculately to represent some sort of dining hall. A chandelier dangled from the ceiling with wasted fervor and pretty pieces of china adorned a fabric laced table. Naruto felt his stomach turn at the foods on the table, knowing full well that like most experienced hosts, Itachi was trying to win him over with promises of luxury.

"Naruto."

The blond turned as he entered, surprised when Jiraiya was seated at the rear of the table, his face solemn and utterly serious. Without thinking Naruto dodged over to him, his eyes turning from concern to relief. It was only moments before that same relief burst into anger.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Naruto demanded, his tone emerging like a lecture. Jiraiya attempted a sly grin but Naruto could tell that it was forced. In the back of his mind he wondered just what Itachi and Jiraiya had discussed.

"Naruto, have a seat. Jiraiya and I were settling a business proposition. All that's left is for you to agree."

Naruto's eyebrows tangled in confusion and he snapped his attention to the older man who was sitting too quietly in his seat. He wasn't sure what had transpired in his absence but his emotions felt betrayed and angered.

"What agreement, old man?"

Jiraiya peered up caustically, his eyes looking somewhat bored. When he anwered his tone was definite.

"He wants us to build Gamabunta a son. Gamakichi."

Naruto stared in disbelief, his eyes wide in confusion and frustration.

"And you agreed?" His arms waved uselessly at his sides as he searched the older man's expression, hoping what he had admitted was a joke. When Jiraiya did not laugh, Naruto stepped backwards, turning to face Itachi.

"Why would I agree to build something that important for _you_?"

Itachi sat down at the head of the table and shook a napkin free of its origami-like design. After placing it in his lap, he glanced upward.

"You'll find that I can be very gracious to those who choose to be my allies. You will also find that I can be quite cruel to those who choose not to." Itachi directed a finger towards a wall of monitors behind Naruto, each displaying a different room in the massive building. The one that caught Naruto's eye was strikingly familiar, and it didn't take long for him to make out Kiba's roaming figure. His heard pounded like a timpani against his chest and he glanced down at Jiraiya, feeling utterly defeated.

"And this is all right with you?"

Jiraiya took a bite of an apple and looked down at his plate, his eyes dim and distracted.

"Someday you'll see that it was the right choice."

Naruto watched as Itachi held up a glass of wine, his lips peaking in interest. Jiraiya followed in suit, holding up his own, and also holding a glass to Naruto's level.

Naruto glanced back and forth between the two, wondering why Jiraiya had chosen to turn his back on the people he seemed to trust the most. And somewhere in his mind, something snapped.

Jiraiya had a plan.

Taking the glass from old fingers, Naruto begrudgingly pushed his glass into the air. Mimicking the 'cheers' motion of the other two.

As soon as he got Jiraiya alone, they were having a _serious_ talk.

Itachi motioned for Naruto to sit down, and Naruto did, still skeptical about the entire scenario. After a moment, Itachi spoke.

"Good boy. After all, my reach goes much farther than the basement of this facility… one would say it could even reach as far as Sasuke, if pushed."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and Itachi smiled in challenge, knowing full well where Naruto's allegiance lay.

More than ever before Naruto hoped and silently prayed that Sasuke would stay far, far away.

* * *

**A/N--** Sorry for the delay. I've been playing phone tag with my insurance company over a lady who rear-ended me on Thanksgiving and it's turned into an all-American ordeal. 

Gotta love paying a fourth of your paycheck for insurance and not having it do anything for you in return.

**SPOILERS**

OMG Jiraiya lost an arm. And now we kinda know he's not gonna make it...I mean, what anime character wanders around with a missing limb? Sad times. I can't help but feel like they're setting everything up for Naruto and his Bunshins. I mean, six Peins?

Ha, I just thought of Pein saying, "I'm going to show you a world of 'pein'."

I'm such a nerd.

Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I am going to work my hardest to get this completed before Christmas. Go easy on me though; next two weeks are finals.


	42. If You Can't Beat Them

**Misery Business**

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**Author:** Ladelle

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Before you get sad about it being a day late--look how long it is! Exciting, ne? Yeah, and it probably won't happen again anytime soon.

Thanks for reviews! Thanks also to Allys for betaing and Ras for commenting...I love you both.

* * *

**Chapter 42: If You Can't Beat Them...Join Them?**

When the dinner ended, Naruto had barely touched his plate.

His stomach growled beneath him as he rubbed it with his palm, grumbling with regret as a few servers removed the hearty meal from before him. He saw Jiraiya look disgruntled from the corner of his eye and ignored him, instead focusing on the pale stranger at the opposite end of the table.

"Weren't you hungry?" Itachi asked, and Naruto resisted the urge to narrow his eyes. Instead he shook his head, refusing to look affected by his obvious hunger.

"Not for this food," Naruto answered honestly as a gelatin-like substance was removed from his sight. The blond glared at Itachi and rested his chin on the palm of his hand, waiting for someone to take the lead in conversation. As if reading his thoughts, Jiraiya spoke.

"Itachi. Now would be a good time to explain our position."

From across the table Itachi smiled, an eerie smile that made Naruto suspicious. He waited for the older Uchiha to speak, tapping his free fingers on the oak table below him.

"I shouldn't need to re-iterate the consequences of refusing my offer. Assuming you have both officially agreed to sponsor me, I have high expectations and little room for leniency."

Naruto felt his heart rate accelerate, wondering what Itachi's intentions were. In all honesty, he didn't have any intention of following the older man's requests at all. But as he turned his head to Jiraiya he stopped tapping his fingers, eager to calm down and pretend like he was in control if the situation.

"You want us to create Gamakichi," Jiraiya stated to Itachi. After a moment he turned to Naruto and raised an eyebrow.

"Except he wants this machine to be multi-faceted. Aside from having the same abilities as Gamabunta, it needs to be virtually undetectable."

At this Naruto's eyes widened, wondering how he was supposed to be useful in such an endeavor.

"I hate to break this to you, but I'm not a scientist or a mechanic. I don't build things."

He sat back in his chair, feeling irritated. It wasn't as if he was particularly gifted in cryo-technology, either. It had been a fluke that he had discovered his theory and if given the same challenge over again he wasn't confident he could succeed.

"I understand that," Itachi said as he leaned forward into an aristocratic slouch. "That's why you're going to be developing something completely on your own. Something that will take a great deal of brain power—and something you need to complete in a very short period of time."

Naruto didn't like the sound of that. He was only a genius when he wanted to be, and now wasn't one of those times. After a moment he nodded his head, a motion that signaled Itachi to tell him more.

"I'm sure you already know what it is, so looking so surprised won't serve any purpose. You're theory about cryonics could very well lead to cryo-regeneration, or—"

"Neuro-preservation for synthetic procreation," Naruto finished, not wanting Itachi to finish. It was ridiculous what people expected from him. The disgruntling part was that Naruto had everything he needed to give Itachi what he wanted—only lacked time.

"It took me three years to develop my cryo-preservation theory," Naruto said, looking Itachi dead in the eye. After a moment, he concluded. "I can't promise you anything."

At this Itachi stood up, running a pale hand through thin bunches of black hair. His demeanor had altered suddenly, the suspiciously friendly host transforming into a very cold and demanding character.

"Well, I suggest you try. Don't make me do something drastic to prove a point."

He motioned towards the monitors for he second time in the evening and Naruto bit his lip.

"How long are you giving us to complete everything?" Naruto asked, and from beside him Jiraiya leaned forward, curious for Itachi's answer as well.

"One year. And don't get too cozy; you won't be building them here. By the end of this week we'll be far away from any potential _interruptions_."

Naruto swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat and glanced at Jiraiya, hoping the other man didn't feel as defeated as he felt. He was disappointed, however, when the old man's expression was hard to read.

From across the room, Itachi spoke with a tone of finality, "Before our relocation we will need a list of everything you both will need. I suggest you take your time with this inventory because it will be all of the supplies you will have."

As if his words symboled a cue, the doors to the dining area opened admitting the familiar figure of Kankuro. The brunet looked impatient and irritated which was surprising to Naruto. Before Jiraiya or Naruto could ask any questions or make any comments, Itachi made a sweeping motion with his hand.

"Fine, I'll see her. Take these two away."

Naruto snapped his attention to Jiraiya who was making a strong effort not to make eye contact with him. Naruto wasn't sure if Jiraiya was putting on an act or if the old man really had intentions of assisting Itachi. In all honesty, Naruto was beginning to believe the world would have been better of if he hadn't written his thesis at all.

"Come on," Kankuro said, and he eyed Naruto and Jiraiya with a passive glance. The old man scooted past Naruto and the blond followed, taking one last glimpse at Sasuke's older sibling. Even from ten feet away Naruto could see the dark and unsettling bags under his eyes and the fevered expression of dominance that rested on his face. It was eerie and malicious and Naruto didn't like it one bit.

"Naruto, focus," Jiraiya whispered in a tone so low that Naruto wasn't even sure he had heard it. He crept closer to the older scientist as they exited the room, noticing a bit of leniency that Kankuro was giving his left arm. Without saying anything, he traveled sidelong to Jiraiya, his expression close to furious.

"Even though I'm sure the two of you are perfect angels, lockdown is required," Kankuro's voice had an irritating bite of sarcasm as he lead them back to the basement room where Kiba still sat. When the trio shuffled down the dark stairway the other boy jumped up, eyeing the situation with a scrutinizing disposition.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" he asked solemnly, sounding much like a growling guard dog.

Naruto nodded as he was led to his cell area and was surprised when Jiraiya was placed into one directly beside him. When the gates were locked Kankuro yanked a notebook from one of the nearby storage shelves and thrust it towards Naruto along with a pen.

"Start your list, kid," he said and turned away, completely disinterested in anything else involving the prisoners. As soon as the sounds of Kankuro shuffling up the stairs subsided and the upper door clicked shit, Naruto threw the notebook onto the ground and spun to Jiraiya.

"What on _earth _is going on?" he demanded, trying to keep his voice low. From across the room Kiba spoke, his voice almost as terse as Naruto's.

"Jiraiya—what the hell are you doing back here?"

The old man wandered peacefully around his cell, taking a leisurely moment to fluff a flat pillow on his cot. After he settled himself into a seated position he turned to Naruto.

"I came to save your asses, that's what's going on."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and stomped forward, grabbing the gated wall that divided them. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"How does agreeing to work for Itachi even come close to _saving_ me?"

From across the room, Kiba shouted, "You what!?"

Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched in irritation and he held up a hand with intent. When he spoke his tone was low and serious and even annoyed.

"Both of you, keep your voices down. You're acting like children."

Naruto bit back an angry comment and glared through the gating, focusing his attention on the darkened silhouette of his developmental partner.

"Alright, fine. I'll bite. What's your plan?"

He was speaking low enough so that Kiba couldn't hear him and he decided to fill in his childhood friend at a later date. Right now the situation seemed to be between him and Jiraiya and so he focused fully on the older man.

"Plan? What makes you think I have a plan?"

Naruto couldn't believe his ears as the words left the inventor's lips. He felt his eyes widen and he almost fumed.

"You're kidding, right?"

Jiraiya remained silent for a moment before lifting his head to view Naruto.

"Nope. You and I just need to do our best to stall this operation until Morino arrives."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Who is Morino again?"

"The chief of police. Neji and Sasuke should have reached him by now and with luck should be on their way here."

Naruto felt his stomach drop at the news and lowered himself to the ground, squatting over his knees in a contemplative manner.

"Can someone explain to me what's going on?" Kiba's voice sounded and Jiraiya snorted.

"We're in deep shit, that's what," the old man said and Naruto could only nod reluctantly. After a second he glanced up to Jiraiya.

"We have to find a way to make them stay away."

Jiraiya laughed suddenly and it caught Naruto off guard. He narrowed his eyes.

"What's so funny?"

Jiraiya pulled the pillow to his chest and shook his head, "You're an idiot if you think that either of them would just walk away."

Naruto stood up, his temper flaring again, "Why is that? Itachi's out to kill Sasuke—even if he doesn't say it!"

"And whether you agree with it or not, Sasuke's out to save you."

This caused Naruto to fall into silence, his feelings mixed. Of course he didn't want to work for Itachi—but the alternative, having Sasuke and Itachi meet, was much worse. As much as he assumed Sasuke wanted to protect him, he wanted to do the same for Sasuke. Before he could speak, Jiraiya let out a long sigh.

"I know you're a bright kid, Naruto. Have you thought about Gamakichi yet?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto questioned.

"I mean, have you thought about how we should construct it?"

Naruto paced backwards towards his bed, not at all surprised when Kiba's smart-aleck voice chimed in from across the basement landing.

"I think you shouldn't do it at all!"

"Kiba, for Christ's sake, keep your voice down."

There was a grumble from afar and Naruto lay down, wishing his stomach didn't hurt as much as it did. He knew that he should have eaten something when he had the chance but he didn't trust Itachi and felt guilty depending on him. He rolled onto his back and thought deeply about his situation.

"Alright, I'll play along. About Gamakichi," Naruto said, feeling the uncomfortable mattress shift beneath him. "We shouldn't ever write anything specific down. On our list we should include things we don't need… that way, if they try to dupe us, they'll be confused. Also, we should make sure each one of us knows the same things just in case anything were to happen."

There was a pause and Jiraiya made a sound in agreement. Naruto spoke again, "It's bizarre though—the monitors in the dining hall didn't have any sound. I wonder why they're giving us so much freedom."

Jiraiya nibbled on his lip, intertwining his fingers out of boredom, "It's not intentional, I can assure you. Itachi was cut off from the Uchiha name long ago—all of the money he's retrieved to fund this facility he's raise on his own… doing God knows what."

Naruto rubbed his stomach in an attempt to calm its gurgling and shook his head in frustration.

"Wait a minute—if Neji went to Morino, isn't that bad for me? I'm illegal, right?"

Jiraiya made an inaudible sound from beside him and shook his head slowly.

"Yes and no. It all depends, I suppose. Either Morino will see you as a benefit to this society or a danger. I can't imagine Neji or Sasuke letting him choose the latter."

Naruto nodded but an uncomfortable feeling was beginning to brew within him. The information from the day was beginning to weigh on him and he suddenly remembered another valuable question in his mind.

"Kiba, are you still awake?"

He wasn't sure since the other boy had gotten so quiet. It was strange for someone to have so much authority over Kiba, especially an old man like Jiraiya. Naruto earned a grunt in response.

"Tell me about this child."

Jiraiya made a choking noise and Kiba seemed to pause, searching for the right words. Naruto twisted his head to the side, making an effort to see the other boy through the darkness.

"Naruto, there's no easy way to tell you this… but Sakura had a baby. It's kind of a long story…"

Naruto butted in, "We have plenty—"

"—of time, I know," Kiba finished. With a huff he added, "You used to be so patient."

Naruto thumbed a loose wire from the cot's supporting frame and waited for Kiba to continue. Jiraiya interrupted.

"Naruto, are you sure you want to hear what Kiba has to say?"

Naruto thought for a moment, his mind becoming numb with the information overload of the day. He nodded and when he realized it was too hazy and dark to see the gesture he answered.

"I may not want to, but I _need _to."

Jiraiya let out an irritated sigh and Naruto heard his cot springs whine as the old man settled into the bed. Naruto figured that it had to be close to midnight and even he could feel the overwhelming surge of exhaustion overwriting his body. He shrugged it away and listened for Kiba to continue.

"I don't know if you ever heard, but Sakura is Sasuke's fiancée—"

"Was," Naruto corrected, but Kiba continued.

"And it was in the papers all the time—the last Uchiha trying to create an heir. I don't know a whole lot about it… but I'm pretty sure Sakura was trying really hard to start over again… I think a big part of her still regretted what she did to you.

A huge controversy broke out though—one I was even able to catch wind of, despite being kept here. She got pregnant and her baby was born prematurely. Not only that… he had blond hair and blue eyes. There was no way it was Sasuke's kid. It had to be—"

"Mine…" Naruto finished and a rush of emotion seemed to overwhelm him. He glanced over to where Kiba was and the other boy was strangely silent. Kiba had always been polite—he didn't pry into other peoples' business unless it was something he needed to know. Instead of waiting for Naruto to explain, he kept talking.

"Well, anyhow… because of the obvious differences between Sasuke and the baby, the courts ruled on the side of adultery. Oh—and I don't know if you know a great deal about the laws here—"

"They've gotten stricter since your time. Not only did they think Sakura had an affair, they somehow managed to relate the child's DNA to that of the person who caused the Uchiha massacre. It was an unfortunate mess…" Jiraiya added, his tone unwavering. Naruto felt knots in his stomach tighten.

"What happened to the baby?" he asked, almost afraid for the answer.

"Social Affairs took care of him," Jiraiya said and before Naruto could ask Kiba replied, "They're like social services. He was put up for adoption."

Naruto sat up slowly, his features beginning to reflect the strain the information was taking on him. There was no doubt in his mind that the child was his and as for how it happened, it was the same way any child was conceived. A lie about birth control may have sped up the process, though…

Even so, it was difficult for Naruto to feel his initial anger. The struggle that Sakura had faced was more than she had been ready for—and if Kiba was right and she had tried hard to start anew, it would have been devastating to have had his child. Like karma—like a reminder of what she had done. Of a past she couldn't escape.

"I know what you're thinking, Naruto, and don't feel sorry for her. You don't know—"

"What did she name him?" Naruto asked, and Kiba was quiet for a time. Jiraiya was silent as well, before Naruto felt his eyebrows lower in recognition.

"Jubaku," Kiba finally answered and his voice was low and regretful. For a moment Naruto let it process before bringing a hand to his mouth in shock.

"…like a curse?"

He couldn't bring himself to say the name. It felt so foreign and cruel. The sympathy that he had felt for Sakura faded and he felt his fists tighten.

"Where is he now? Do either of you know?" Naruto dodged a glance to Jiraiya who shook his head in the negative. From across the room, Kiba noted that he didn't know where the baby as either.

"The only person who knows," Jiraiya said, "…is Sasuke."

Naruto felt his chest tighten. He had a child. A baby boy—well, not really a baby. By his math the child was around two and a half years old—and knew nothing about him. The idea was so strange to him… in all of his life he had never thought seriously about having children or what it would feel like to know their was a little Naruto running around. But even though he had just discovered the fact, a piece of him felt like it had been chipped away.

"Naruto, Sakura's been trying to find Jubaku. I've heard about it—she drives Itachi up the wall with her requests. I don't know what she wants with him, but I have a feeling that it will be some type of leverage. There's something not right between those two…" Kiba muttered, and Jiraiya seemed to perk in interest.

"What do you mean?"

Kiba took a deep breath and his voice grew shallow and raspy. At times it was even hard to make out the words he was speaking.

"I've been with Itachi the entire time. Even though he had your drive, Naruto, he couldn't figure out what anything meant. He knew that Sakura had been dating you and so he hoped that he could get more information out of her…

So when the whole baby thing exploded, he managed to convince her to side with him. How, I don't know. All I know is that soon after the Uchiha engagement was put on hold she was showing up here… but things have been getting hostile lately. You can even tell with the Sabaku family…"

Jiraiya made a positive grunt, signaling that he had recognized the atmosphere as well. He even spoke on the comment's behalf.

"I agree. Kankuro looked irritable, and from what I've heard about him, he's not one to be mismanaged."

"I don't think Itachi and Sakura are the ones in charge here—I think there's someone higher that Itachi is answering to, and Sakura's needs are being put on hold because of it."

Kiba had always been like a fly on a wall. He noticed things other people usually bypassed and was able to read situations better than a good majority of people.

"And about Kankuro," Naruto added, "he was babying his left arm. I think he's injured."

Naruto heard Jiraiya mumble and Kiba shuffle around. There was a pause and Jiraiya let out a long and low pitched yawn. Kiba asked a quick question.

"What did Itachi tell you two today?"

Naruto answered as he saw Jiraiya's silhouette seep into the bedding, obviously preparing for sleep.

"Itachi wants us to build another time travel machine. Along with that, he wants me to turn my thesis into some sort of stem cell research experiment. We have a week before he's shipping us off somewhere."

Kiba groaned, "And that means a week to wait for a miracle."

Jiraiya chuckled deeply, startling the two other boys. "Kiba, you don't know just how many people Naruto has coming after him."

There was a pause and Kiba rephrased, "A week to delay then. You two need to do anything and everything possible to stall. It's not as easy as it seems to get into this place—or out. God knows I've tried."

Jiraiya snorted, "I built this place, remember? I know better than anyone just how dangerous it can be."

"Maybe. But a lot of things have changed in the past couple years—and the Sabaku family is here. I'm betting Itachi's already got a plan for the worst possible scenario."

There was a pause and Naruto chimed in, "And what is that?"

There was a sound that signified that Kiba had snuggled into his cot and Naruto realized that he was the only one still wide awake. With a yawn, Kiba answered.

"Get you and Jiraiya out of here."

Naruto felt the room grow quiet and before he spoke up, Jiraiya let out a long sigh.

"It's been a long day Naruto, I know. Let's all get some rest now and we can start plotting our stall tomorrow. If all else fails, we can just speak Spanish…" The old man laughed into his pillow and coughed as he switched positions.

"'Night," Kiba said from across the room and Naruto sat back against the wall his cot lay against, his head too clustered with new information to even contemplate sleep.

Visions of a child raced through his mind and the anxiety of potentially having to recreate a time machine or even extend his thesis made a headache swell in his temples. Aside from that, his stomach felt as thought it were eating itself, sending pangs of discontent through his abdomen. The last time he had eaten was with Sasuke in the kitchen…

Naruto's hand subconsciously went to his lips, tracing the smooth exterior as if trying to mimic the sensation Sasuke's lips against his had created. He wondered vaguely what it would be like when they met again, and what Sasuke would say.

Would he be angry at Naruto for leaving Nivae? Or would he be protective, as usual? Aside from that, Naruto already intended on asking Sasuke about his son and where to find him. He wasn't sure what this new development spelled for his future, but it was a door he didn't want to close.

Nearly ten minutes had passed since they had said their goodnights when from the top of the staircase Naruto saw the door open, a careful figure gliding down with fluidity. Naruto caught sight of the stranger in the flooding pools of light from the room above and immediately recognized him as Gaara. It wasn't surprising for some reason and Naruto watched intently as Gaara silently paced to his cell, removing something from behind his back.

Keys jingled lightly as Gaara let himself into Naruto's cell, and Naruto glanced over to Jiraiya's sleeping form, wondering if anyone had heard the other boy's entrance. Apparently not, he concluded, because sound snoring echoed from both beside him and across the room.

Before Naruto could open his mouth in question Gaara threw something at him, and Naruto made an effort to catch it as it glided towards his face. It was a box and it jostled in his hands, the sweet aroma of sun-baked crackers flooding his senses.

Gaara knelt back against the gate of his cell, the door still wide open at his side. Naruto found it interesting that they were both inside of the cell, and even more so that Gaara appeared to be so trusting. In the end he concluded that the hospitality only rose from the fact that Gaara was an assassin and was to be feared.

"What's this about?" Naruto whispered, and he took in Gaara's short and languid stance. The redhead was thin and wiry, but the fact that he was about Naruto's height made the proportions seem accurate. He was wearing leather pants—the type that taper at the ends and bunch at the knees, and also a tight black shirt that hugged the contours of his thin waist and slender neck. His green eyes glinted in the subtle light from the stairway and Naruto could have sworn he saw the man smirk.

"You shouldn't starve yourself."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and shook his head, feeling a little strange that a Sabaku seemed to be worried about his eating habits.

"It wasn't intentional."

He dug his hand into the box and withdrew a chip, eyeing it suspiciously before popping it into his mouth. As the salty and grainy texture brushed across his tongue his stomach let out a long growl and he attempted to look irritated. From in front of him, Gaara leaned his head back, resting it against the gated fitting.

After chewing another chip, Naruto let out another low whisper.

"Why are you being nice to me?"

He felt like an idiot asking, but he was honestly very curious. Gaara was a known assassin and someone everyone seemed to take extremely seriously. He would never expect someone of that caliber to offer him any sort of generosity, or even special attention. It made him feel like there was a motive, and it was a feeling he didn't like.

"I'm not being deceitful, if that's what you're asking," Gaara said simply, and he pulled a hand into his pocket and withdrew a small box. It crinkled in his hands and Naruto narrowed his eyes, quickly making it out as a cigarette box.

"This is the only place I can smoke," he said idly, and Naruto chewed slowly on a big chunk of fried potato. He debated on telling Gaara that he didn't like the smell of cigarettes or that he thought it was a bad habit, merely because he concluded it was an equal trade. Chips for a drag—yeah, it would have to work.

"Your smoke might wake up Jiraiya," Naruto said softly, stating the only argument left in his head. This time Gaara really did smirk as he brought a lighter from his other pocket and fingered the switch, igniting the small cylinder of tobacco in his palm.

"Were you planning on doing something you didn't want him to see?"

Naruto flushed, not entirely out of embarrassment but mostly from surprise. He stuck a chip in his mouth and shook his head, not wanting to answer. Gaara liked to play games with him and he was beginning to figure them out.

"How's Kankuro's arm?" Naruto asked, knowing it was a tricky question. He was satisfied when Gaara looked somewhat surprised that he knew, but the expression didn't last long. Naruto knew he had bested him when his reply was short.

"Fine."

There was a long pause as Gaara look a long drag of his cigarette and the small room was filled with the hasty crunching of Naruto's eager hunger. The box was nearly halfway empty when he began to slow, his jaw beginning to ache from eating too quickly. Gaara's cigarette was nearly done, and the redhead let out a long breath.

"You should do what Itachi says," Gaara said suddenly, and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Why is that?"

There was a short pause before Gaara stepped forward, pulling the box away from Naruto and leaning in close.

"He wasn't going to feed you at all with how rude you were at dinner tonight, or so I've heard…"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering where the conversation was going. From in front of him Gaara knelt his forehead against his own and breathed out, sending an unusually attractive scent of peppermint and cinders. From the corner of his eyes, Naruto watched Gaara squish out the cigarette against his wire bed frame, his eyes intense against his blue.

"It's no fun to pursue someone who's sick."

Before Naruto had a chance to respond Gaara was walking away, toting the box of crackers at his waist. The gate was locked behind him and the redhead ascended the stairs, quietly closing the door behind him.

Naruto breathed out and shook his head, confused as to why Gaara played such odd head-games with him. It was only then that he realized the snoring at his side had stopped and when he glanced over to Jiraiya he could feel the old man beaming.

"What?" Naruto asked defensively.

"Oh, nothing," Jiraiya said tiredly. He chuckled before finishing his statement. "I'm just thanking God that you're blond."

Naruto wasn't sure what Jiraiya meant and he was positive that Gaara's advances weren't anything like an 'in' with the Sabaku's. He glared at the old man until a yawn overcame him and he felt a sudden weariness wash through his body. The food was settling and his mind was numb, too tired to think anymore.

It wasn't long before Jiraiya's snoring started up and Naruto buried himself under his thin blankets in an effort to get comfortable.

It wasn't home but as his thoughts drifted to Sasuke, he decided it was close enough.

* * *

Sasuke sat idly in the subway seating, ignoring the random looks of interest that he and Neji were receiving. Public transportation had never been a favorite of his and the only reason he had stomached the trip to Le Toute Fin was because of Naruto's company.

Next to him Neji shifted, pulling their equipment bag closer to their feet as two men drifted by, looking anxious to find seating as the subway started up again.

"How exactly are we going to get Kakashi and Yamato out of this mess?" Sasuke asked, his voice low. Their names were fairly well known and he didn't want to draw attention to himself or his self-proclaimed mission. Neji ran a hand through his hair and narrowed his eyes.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I don't know the layout of Danzo's office here. We just need to pray he hasn't moved them to another state."

Sasuke nodded, sharing the same beliefs with the cop beside him. He twisted his head to view the subway map above the door across from him, watching as a small red light whizzed across the chart, symbolizing the subway he and Neji were on.

"I wonder what things are going to be like after this." Neji said simply, and even though it was a short statement, it held a lot of weight. Sasuke had been wondering the same thing but hadn't brought himself to really think about the answer.

After they stopped Itachi and rescued Naruto and Jiraiya, things definitely wouldn't be the same. He could already feel the corporate battle surging forward, forcing him to fight tooth and nail to keep Naruto from being sent back in time. Aside from that, Fang would most likely dissolve leaving his company as the only successor to scientific exploration in the west. And _that_ was only if he was lucky and managed not to be convicted of any felonies like aiding and abetting a known criminal.

Sasuke let out a deep sigh, uncomfortable with the impatient clamor of his heart against his lungs. His stomach was curling inside of him, feelings of anxiety and nervousness he had never felt before making it hard for him to think.

What if his influence couldn't save Naruto in the end?

He didn't want to think about that. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if he didn't make it to Naruto in time or how he was going to confront his brother. The situation was a big mess inside of his head and the gun tucked in his waist was beginning to feel normal against his warm skin.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Neji said softly. Sasuke didn't acknowledge the remark but Neji continued anyway. "We've only known Naruto for half a year… but look at us. He's got a gift or something… always drawing people in."

Sasuke had thought the same thing on more than one occasion, wondering how one individual could have changed the lives of so many in such a short stay. It surprised him even more how Naruto had changed _him_.

"Especially you. You were a bitch to work with before he came along. Compared to then, you've improved worlds."

Sasuke snorted wondering if what Neji was saying was true. He felt different, that was for sure. Like he finally had something to live for aside from his company.

"This is our stop," he said smoothly, and Neji was smirking beside him. Sasuke had never been talkative about his thoughts or feelings and Neji wasn't surprised. He had known the man long enough to have already accepted that fact, but he was positive that Sasuke's thoughts were more preoccupied with rescuing the blond than anything else.

Neji stood up and shouldered the backpack and Sasuke stood up beside him, his eyes narrow as a few of the onlookers gave him wry looks. He wondered if he was recognizable.

"Come on," Neji signaled and they both drifted to one of the departure doors, holding a thin metal railing as the subway momentum slowed. As soon as they exited they were walking fast, dipping through throngs of people in an attempt to reach the upper level of the street. When sunlight burst into their vision Neji stood to the side of the sidewalk and pointed north.

"There it is. Hmm. This is going to be tricky."

Sasuke snorted, knowing full well he was a business tycoon and not some undercover operations officer. Breaking in to places wasn't his forte, although if he had to he was confident he could do it decently. Breaking into a police office though—not as promising of results.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Neji seemed to study the building and saw something hover above the building. It was a small fleck and it dangled in the air, thrashing around like a rabid pigeon.

"You have got to be kidding me," he stated and he dodged forward across the street, his eyes painfully narrow. Neji jogged up beside him, yelling for him to stop.

"Look familiar?" Sasuke asked as he pointed to the bird, and Neji glanced up reproachfully as they neared the scene. Neji's eyes widened as he spotted the animal, batting against the building like a marble in a pinball machine.

"Oh, my God," Neji gaped and Sasuke reluctantly held a hand up towards the psychotic bird.

"I think I've found our way in," Sasuke noted, and the bird seemed to recognize his voice and fluttered down to his extended hand.

"What's this thing's name?" Sasuke asked as he lowered it to his eye level, somewhat disgusted with the dirty feeling of pigeon claws on his skin.

"Jeffrey?" Neji ventured and the animal cooed as if it understood.

"This is ridiculous. I'd say they're still inside, though," Sasuke shook his head, not sure how to interpret the situation. Neji glared at the bird, looking skeptical.

"Um, can you find Lee?" his words were soft and lacked confidence, but the bird jolted up and slammed into the lower window of the office building, presumably in an attempt to get in.

"Hmmm," Neji said and he bit his lip. Sasuke placed a hand on his hip and narrowed his eyes, watching with irritation as bystanders eyed the struggling animal.

"Well, here's my theory," Neji stated suddenly, and Sasuke turned to him reproachfully.

"They're most likely being held in a detention center and they're elusive so it's probably high level security. That would mean they're at the top of this building and probably in one of the farthest rooms away from the front here. I would say—let's break in from the roof and have, uh, Jeffrey 'lead the way', and hope for the best."

Sasuke glared at him, impatience radiating from his figure, "That's not the best plan. You're leaving a lot to fate."

Neji shrugged and started forward towards an alley ladder between Danzo's municipal building and a flower shop beside it.

"What can I say, Uchiha? My intuition has rarely proved me wrong."

Sasuke watched as the pigeon floated up beside Neji and parked itself on his shoulder, causing the long-haired brunet to frown squeamishly. With a small smirk, Sasuke followed behind him, pulling himself up the metal rungs with an athleticism no one would have imagined him to have.

The building was only about three stories high and when the duo made it to the top they paused briefly to catch their breath and make sure no one had seen them from below. If anyone had they weren't making a big deal of it, and it made the anxiety of the situation fade.

"Alright. Now it's your turn," Neji eyed the bird skeptically and it took off towards the upper level entry door. Neji approached it and examined the lock, pulling a small wire from his equipment bag in order to disarm it. After a few good twists the lock clicked open and Sasuke watched idly as the bird darted inside, not really waiting for anyone to follow.

"Oh, Christ," Neji slipped inside the door, opening it as little as he could in an attempt to avoid and groaning or squeaking. Sasuke mimicked his movements, pulling the door closed tightly and soundlessly behind him.

They followed Jeffrey quickly and quietly down an upper level hallway until a descending staircase came into view. There were voices speaking from below and Sasuke tapped Neji's shoulder, wondering if they were going to keep walking or wait it out. After a few mumblings a door sounded and the sound of shuffling shoes faded away, hinting that whoever had been below had departed. Neji dodged forward quickly, grateful they hadn't seen the frazzled pigeon drifting around like a badly made paper plane.

"The floor below us," Neji said quietly, and the two men found their way down the staircase with more ease then expected. Sasuke wondered why it had been so easy to break-in in the first place, but he decided to save his questions for a more appropriate time.

As they reached the third level Neji pulled open a grated iron door and as Sasuke glanced past him from behind he noted that they were in the reception room for high security. The guard's desk was unattended—very unusual—but Neji seemed to take advantage of the situation. He ran forward and grabbed a book from behind the desk, skimming his finger over what appeared to be a list of names. Sasuke looked around, curious as to why no one was even guarding the cell block.

"Neji," Sasuke said softly as he approached the other boy, "What is going on?"

Neji continued to scan the list and pointed towards a small monitor with his free hand. It was like a small television set on the metal counter of the desk, a crystal clear high definition picture of the front lobby. A group of officials were clustered by the main door, securing what appeared to be a tightly bound cardboard box. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"What is it?"

"I never would have imagined Hyuuga Neji to be so quick."

A voice came from behind them and Sasuke whipped around, his hand instinctively brushing against the metal rim of his weapon. His eyes narrowed at the figure that had entered soundlessly behind them and his voice was cold and coarse.

"Sai."

"And here I went through all this trouble planting a phony bomb to get in undetected…" Sai's voice was like a child's, teasing and playful.

Neji peeked up from behind Sasuke at the person and narrowed his eyes.

"It's like every criminal and their mother has come out of the woodwork. You under Yamato?"

Sai nodded and smiled like a Cheshire cat before pacing forward, giving Sasuke the up-down.

"I see you haven't gotten any less rigid," he commented, and Sasuke clenched his fists.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, and Sai pulled his small and familiar backpack tight around his shoulders.

"Yamato was caught. I've come to set the situation straight."

He turned to Neji, apparently bored with Sasuke, "You find the cell?"

Neji glanced up from the book, his expression unreadable, "I think they gave them fake names."

"Try Hatake," Sasuke said and when both of the men glanced to him in question he motioned his hand impatiently, "Just look for it."

He had been friends with Kakashi since childhood. It was only normal that he knew his entire name. After a moment Neji nodded and stood up straight, eyeing the different cell block landings. He seemed to agree with one labeled 'B' and started forward, naming the room as he went.

"Detainment room L-117."

Sai motioned Sasuke to follow behind Neji so that he could take the back, presumably in case they were caught. Sasuke hated when people treated him like a child but under the circumstanced he couldn't find the energy to argue. He just wanted to rescue Kakashi and Yamato and book it to Osington.

"It'll be at the end," Sai said helpfully as Neji examined each cement door. Sasuke saw Neji's pace pick up and took in his surroundings, curious because he had never seen a high level security prison before.

The walls were white and gray and a sort of stucco that reminded Sasuke of molded cottage cheese. The air was damp and smelled like dust and below them the floor whistled beneath their shoes. He attempted to walk more carefully to lessen the noise but the tiled flooring was so clean that it was impossible.

As they neared the end of the hall Neji stopped before the doorway and eyed it preemptively, "I'm not going to lie. I can't pick this."

The door wasn't only locked by key it was dead bolted and held shut by a timepiece. Sai pushed the two men out of the way and withdrew a small pile of explosives from his own backpack. As he smeared a long stretch of flammable clay on the ends Neji grabbed his hands.

"Are you crazy? You can't light that here!"

Sai raised an eyebrow and ran a finger through Neji's silky hair.

"Relax, babe. I'm a pro."

Neji stepped backwards with an offended look and glanced to Sasuke who couldn't help but look irritated himself. Sai organized the weapon around the sidelong prongs of the doorway and ushered the small group back as the fuse sparked.

"When it blows, we're going to have to hurry. We'll need to find Yamato and get out of this building in less than three minutes."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Three minutes?"

"As soon as they hear this explosion they're going to realize the bomb downstairs is a fake," Neji explained and Sasuke covered his ears as the small explosion went off, sending rubbery pieces of red wax all over the outer hallway. From inside a very smoky Kakashi exited, running a hand though his hair.

"Well, that wasn't very silent," his tone was mocking and he eyed Sai reproachfully. The younger man glared in return, his expression thin with impatience.

"You can always go back in, _Hatake_."

Kakashi frowned and glanced to Sasuke who merely shrugged. An alarm echoed through the hallways and Sai dug out another long string of explosives. Kakashi pointed quickly to the doorway across from his.

"L-119," he said quickly and hastily turned to lead Sasuke away from the commotion.

"Sasuke, you've got to get out of here," he said solemnly and the Uchiha only rolled his eyes.

"It wasn't my intention to come and save you," Sasuke explained and the bomb Sai had planted exploded from behind them. "We need to get to Osington. Naruto's in trouble."

Kakashi looked skeptical and opened his mouth to speak but Sasuke cut him off, "_And_ Itachi's involved. Is that enough to get you to come?"

The older man paled at the mention of the older Uchiha heir and peered backwards as Yamato emerged from the room, looking flustered. The alarms were growing louder and more high-pitched and when a door at the end of the hall burst open, the entire group turned caustically.

"Ah! I knew I would find all of you!" Rock Lee dodged down the corridor, a small bird planted in his arms.

"I was in interrogation when Jeffrey came in—"

"That's nice," Kakashi said, "we have to go."

He grabbed Sasuke's wrist and yanked him forward, Neji trailing them like a guard dog. Sai followed closely behind Yamato who was doing his best to keep an eye on Lee.

"What's the best way to get out of here?" Neji almost yelled to Sai, trying to overpower the heavy doldrums of the emergency sirens. Sai pointed straight ahead and Sasuke followed his finger to a small chute labeled 'Laundry & Cleaning'. He was about to protest before Kakashi yanked down the handle and glared down.

"We'll talk more about this situation later. For now, let's worry about getting out."

The sound of thumping shoes and prepared weapons echoed down the hall and Sasuke didn't look back. He threw himself into the chute and gripped the sides, hoping to God something soft would catch his fall. He heard Neji leap in from behind and the groaning and thumping of his small group tearing down the chute played in his ears unconsciously.

After his stomach rose at a sudden drop he landed in a pile of dry and steaming blankets and quickly shuffled out of the way so that no one would land on top of him. As Neji fell forward from behind he pulled him forward and out of the way, trying to balance himself as he stepped out of the large canvas container. It was only a few more seconds before Sai and Yamato followed, Rock Lee trailing closely behind.

"Are we all here?" Yamato asked as he shrugged a hot blanket from his chest. When silence followed he acknowledged it as a yes and pointed towards a few racks of cleaning supplies and detergents.

"All of these buildings have sewer exits from the second prohibition. There should be one here—most likely over there behind those shelves."

The group divided immediately in search of the exit and Sasuke found himself sticking uncharacteristically close to Neji during the expedition. It had been a good choice, however, when the cop located the winning outlet.

"Over here," he commented and he pulled an iron grate back in order to open the circular imprint of a door on the wall. Sai stepped forward to help and Kakashi acted as a lookout, glancing feverishly around the room.

As soon as the door was open they all disappeared into it, and Sai and Yamato worked as a perfectly paired team to pull everything back into place as they closed the circular door behind them. When all was silent and the door clicked shut, Rock Lee let out a deep breath.

"That was exciting."

No one spoke for a moment until Kakashi decided to break the silence.

"Lee told us that Uzumaki was taken by Fang. What else has happened?"

Neji opened his mouth to speak, his natural affinity for being in the lead taking over. He paused though as he watched Sasuke, deciding it would be best for the raven to reveal the events.

"Itachi is the one who caused the murders, Kakashi. Naruto and Neji went back and saw it."

The way the words left Sasuke's lips left everyone in the tunnel speechless, even Sai which was peculiar. Kakashi looked disbelieving and raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't make any sense, Sasuke."

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest as a draft sifted through the sewer area and he felt his nostrils tingle at the pungent smells that he had failed to notice before.

"I know it doesn't, but even so, it's the truth. And now Fang has got Naruto, and Itachi is involved."

There was another moment of silence and Sai spoke up, "You let them take Naruto? After all the effort we went through to get him to safety?"

Neji raised his voice to cover Sasuke's, knowing that Sasuke wasn't in the mood to be manhandled.

"It wasn't like that, so don't make it out to be."

Another moment of silence passed and Lee spoke.

"Is Naruto alright? Do we know anything yet?"

Sasuke shook his head and Kakashi still appeared a little lost. Sasuke attempted to answer the confused expression.

"Look, I understand that all of this is confusing. But right now there is only one thing that we should be focused on and that is getting to Osington and getting Naruto out of there."

"Jiraiya, too," Neji added morosely and this brought a new reaction form Kakashi.

"You're telling me that Fang has both Uzumaki _and_ Jiraiya?"

Sasuke nodded, his eyes falling into a very narrow stance. He raised his voice to speak.

"We've got to hurry. I don't know what Fang's got in store for the two of them… but I have a bad feeling. This is something that affects all of us. If Fang wins, this _country_ loses."

There was a moment of silence before Rock Lee bounded forward, his expression more serious than Sasuke had ever seen it.

"I saved him once. I'm not going to refuse doing it again."

Neji frowned and waved his hand submissively, "I seriously doubt I'll be ably to keep my job after all of this, so what do I have to lose?" He stepped over to Sasuke's side, surprising the raven with his sudden commitment.

Sai glanced to Yamato and the older man bit his lip and eyed Kakashi.

"Well?" he asked and Kakashi let out a long breath. Without verbally responding he placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and eyed him much like a father would when they realize that their child is all grown up.

"What are we waiting for?"

Sasuke smiled up at Kakashi, a true and genuine smile that he rarely revealed to the public. It was moments before Yamato and Sai had a plan, and minutes before they were on the move. In his mind, Sasuke cursed.

He had never expected to encounter his brother again, and under these circumstances, he wasn't sure what his true reaction would be. His fingers ran lazily over the hilt of his gun and he never even noticed.

* * *

::phew::

I don't think AIYH or DW are going to update this week. This chapter winded me, lol. I hope it was good! Call it my mini-celebration for the thousand review-ness.

**SPOILERS:**

I don't even know what to say about this chapter. It was good in so many ways...and how it ended!

1) Naruto--you better get to Sasuke ASAP!

2) Sasuke, don't kill your brother yet--methinks he has somehting important to tell you!

3.) Jiraiya--please don't die!

Ah, I'm a wreck.


	43. Between a Rock and a Hard Place

**Misery Business**

* * *

**Author:** Ladelle 

**Rating:** M

**Comments:** Sorry for the wait, details in my author's note after the chapter. Next chapter will be the **last** in Miz Biz and then **Misery Loves Company** will begin.

Exciting, right?

* * *

**Chapter 43: Between a Rock and a Hard Place**

Naruto twisted underneath the cotton coverlet of his cot, wincing as the lights above him flickered into action. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his head under the sheet, trying to alleviate the blinding sensation that made his pupils dilate beneath tired lids. He let out a low groan and from the cell behind him he heard Jiraiya curse.

"I'm too old for this," he mumbled distractedly, and then, "I need my beauty sleep!"

Naruto grinned against his arm and pulled his knees tight against his chest, the stale air from the basement sending cool shivers down his spine. He heard a rap on the metal gating of his cell and he let out a long breath, wishing silently that he had never woken up.

"Uzumaki." The voice wasn't as demanding as Naruto had expected it to be, and he pulled the cover below his chin to peek at the stranger. When his eyes adjusted to the heavy stream of overhead lighting, the fuzzy haze in front of him slowly warped into the silhouette of a man.

"How can I help you, Kankuro?" His voice was hoarse and deep, a result of sleeping on his stomach for the majority of the night. He could tell that his appearance didn't reflect anything better—he felt flushed and he could feel his hair clumped towards the side he had slept on. He frowned as he rubbed a small bit of sleep from his eyes, wondering if they were as red as they felt.

"Who does Sasuke have connections with?" the man asked, and for the first time Naruto seemed to notice how bulky he was. He was tall and had broad shoulders—as if physical activity were an everyday action. It wasn't that Naruto thought he was old, either—but as he took in the structured features of Kankuro's face he recognized the air of maturity and knowledge the other man had.

"Um, what?" Naruto attempted to pull himself into a sitting position, wishing his mind would focus. He was still hazy from a night of uncomfortable rest and he felt groggy despite the fact his voice was beginning to come out more like normal.

"A little bird told me that Rikers West had a breakout. You wouldn't happen to know Hatake Kakashi, would you?"

Naruto had to think for a moment. He knew who Kakashi was and he knew that he and Sasuke were close… but Naruto himself had never met the man. He frowned.

"No."

Kankuro raised an eyebrow and sifted closer against the gating, his expression firm and intimidating. Naruto felt another cool chill prickle his skin and he pulled the sheet tighter around his chest. His mind was beginning to adjust, wondering what Kankuro's statement had meant. A breakout—one that involved Kakashi and apparently Sasuke, too.

"Haha, they got them out, did they?" Jiraiya chuckled, his voice deep and booming. His comment snapped Naruto out of his thoughts, wondering what exactly was going on. Jiraiya knew something, despite the fact he himself felt clueless.

"Tell me, Jiraiya. Do they know where we are?" Kankuro's voice was bruising, as if he hadn't expected to be discovered at all. Naruto slowly began to make sense of the situation, mentally noting that Sasuke and Kakashi—at least—were making a strong effort to find him and Jiraiya. Strong enough to break out of a prison. He felt his insides turn cold.

"Jiraiya—"

"Naruto, be quiet," the old man said, and Naruto had never heard him sound so demanding. He and Kankuro were locked at the eyes, having a conversation without words or movements. Naruto glanced between them momentarily before Kankuro turned on his heel and took off running up the stairs.

When the upper level door slammed shut, Kiba grumbled from across the room, "What was _that_ all about?"

Naruto glared at Jiraiya, upset that he wasn't aware of what had happened. After a moment, Jiraiya snorted.

"I figured this would happen, just not so soon."

Naruto twisted around towards the direction of the voice, lips curled in question, "Figured what would happen?"

Jiraiya turned to him and frowned and Naruto took in his disheveled appearance. His graying hair was scruffy and tangled and as he spoke it bounced on his shoulders.

"I came here to buy time, but it looks like Sasuke and Neji are moving a lot faster than expected."

"To come here," Naruto noted, and then he added, "and they know where _here_ is, I'm assuming?"

Jiraiya nodded and Kiba dragged himself to the side of his cell, holding the bars with tension. "But if Itachi knows they're almost here—"

"Itachi assumed he had some time before they would get here… actually, he probably assumed that Sasuke would be coming alone and didn't think it a threat. But now that he knows Sasuke still has a connection with Kakashi—"

"And therefore Yamato—" Naruto added, and before he could say anything else, Kiba cut him off.

"They're going to either stall or try to get you two out of here as soon as possible." There was a long period of silence and Kiba parted his lips again, almost nervous to continue.

"Naruto, I won't let them take you. They did once—I refuse to allow it again."

Naruto took a deep breath and shook his head, not sure of what to say. The truth was that no matter what Kiba imagined possible, in the end his future wasn't in his hands. Above wanting to escape and live a normal life, or as normal as it could be, Naruto desperately wanted Sasuke and his company to remain secure.

"Naruto, let's make our list. You write because you have the paper."

Naruto kept his eyes locked with Kiba's for a moment before turning to Jiraiya and nosing. He tiptoed across the cold concrete floor in order to grab the small clipboard he had been given and buried himself in his blanket when he returned to his cot.

"I'm serious, Naruto," Kiba said loudly, and Naruto could hear in his voice that he was hurt. But there was nothing the blond could say. He could only go where the wind took him, and if it was with Itachi, he would just have to stomach it.

"I know you are," Naruto said lightly, and he glanced back. "But I am just as serious as you."

There was a moment of pause before Naruto clicked his pen into action and made a practice scribble on the paper, eager to get the ink flowing. From next to him, Jiraiya let out a cough.

"Alright, write small and make sure you make two copies. They're going to want one and we're going to need one as well."

Naruto nodded and drew a layout fit for supplies and diagrams.

"Okay, what's first?" he asked, and Jiraiya spoke quickly. As Naruto's mind fumbled to translate Jiraiya's quick comments, he hardly realized how quickly the time was passing.

* * *

If there was one place Sasuke would _never_ go again, it was a sewer. It was no wonder they were so poorly guarded, as they were dark, dank, and dreary, and any other word he could think of that sounded like death. He could barely see his feet in front of him and if it weren't for the heavy scraping of Yamato's boots against the cracked cobblestone floor beneath them he probably would have been lost. He could feel Kakashi breathing hard behind him and the soft coos of Lee's bird were beginning to irritate him as he stuck close to Neji, recognizing the other man by a fragrance that just didn't seem to fade. 

"The truth is," Yamato said suddenly, "we aren't that far from Osington."

The tunnel had been silent for quite some time and such a blunt statement made Sasuke turn towards the deep and booming voice.

"How long will it take us to get there?" Neji asked. He was leading the small escapade for some reason, and Sasuke wondered silently if it was because he was an officer.

"If we walk, maybe a couple of days. If we caught a ride…"

Sai's voice cut over Yamato's. "I have a few contacts in this area, but the streets are going to be littered with police."

Sasuke snorted and kept walking, his pace fast and steady. "Sometimes I think it would be best if we split into two."

He said it out of frustration, but when he heard the sound of shoes and boots slide to a stop behind him he paused and turned around. He could see the highlights of Kakashi's gray hair a few feet behind him and he recognized his voice when he spoke.

"Actually, I was beginning to think that would be a good idea myself."

There were a few assorted grumbles and Sasuke felt Neji brush past him, back towards the group.

"If we split up, that means one group has to be a decoy. We didn't help anyone escape just to have to do it over again."

Sasuke nodded, somewhat in agreeance. Although, the chance of such a large group making it to a suburb like Osington unnoticed was beginning to seem more and more difficult by the minute. But the real question was—

"So who wants to be a decoy?" Kakashi lazed, and after a moment he added, "I don't."

"I can." Rock Lee said from behind him, and Sasuke rolled his eyes when Jeffrey hooted in agreement. "I mean, even if I am captured, there's no proof of me being involved with anything here—I'm not connected to any of you in any way. And aside from that, Gai was a lawyer."

Sasuke snorted. It figured.

"Hyuuga, if you play your cards right, you can get out of this situation as well," Yamato said, and Sasuke seemed a little put off.

"If you're trying to get me to leave for fear of arrest, you're jumping the gun."

Sasuke interrupted this time, seeing exactly what Yamato was saying.

"That's not what he means, Neji. If you leave with Lee, you can act as though you were acting on someone else's behalf."

"Which would be good for Sasuke," Kakashi said. "Because when this all blows over, they're going to need a reliable witness to get him out of jail. And who better than their own top officer?"

Neji seemed offended and shoved his hands in his pockets, a movement only recognizable by the swooshing sound at Sasuke's side. Sasuke could feel Neji's eyes on him and after a moment, he spoke. "What?"

"What are you going to do when you find Naruto?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "I have to find him first."

"Sasuke, I'm being serious." Neji's tone had grown something of a finality, and from beside them Kakashi spoke.

"Are there more stipulations regarding Uzumaki?" he questioned, and neither of the two younger men bothered to answer. They were staring at each other and Sasuke was growing irritated.

"I won't let them send him back," he said suddenly, and Neji snorted before turning to the other two men.

"Alright, someone needs to be on team Neji. It's really important that this situation is handled carefully… because Morino and Danzo are both going to want Naruto afterwards. After he and Jiraiya are secured, the investigation and punishment of Itachi _needs_ to be left in their hands."

There was a collection of nods and Kakashi let out a deep breath. "The problem is the fact that this is Uchiha Itachi we are talking about. I can't promise you I will follow police discrepancy, especially when it involves a former student… and please don't forget, Hyuuga, that I am as wanted as he is."

Neji seemed to tense under Kakashi's lingering gaze but his expression remained focused and intense. "I understand that. We are all taking risks here; I just want to make sure that they are risks that are worth the effort."

From beside Yamato Sai clapped his hands, a smirk spreading idly across his face. "Well said," he waved his arm passively and looked annoyed, "But we're losing time. And along with that, resources."

Sasuke couldn't help but agree and he nodded. "We split into two. Neji and Lee, distract. The rest of us will head to Osington and stabilize the situation."

Neji stared for a moment before relaxing and nodding. Lee jumped forward, Jeffrey bobbing on his shoulder and Yamato cracked a knuckle against the palm of his hand. Sasuke turned towards the exit but was stopped when Neji gripped his arm.

The long-haired brunet pulled him close, so close that Sasuke could feel the other man's lips brush against his ear. "Sasuke, don't do anything stupid. Remember that anything you choose to do will affect Naruto ten times more than you."

He pulled away and Sasuke stared into his intense ice-blue eyes, still focused on him and much more serious than he would have expected. Neji continued before Sasuke had the chance to reply.

"He really would do _anything_ for you. But Sasuke," Neji said quickly, "he shouldn't _have_ to."

Sasuke was surprised for a moment and he felt any smart come-back in his head slip away. He instead allowed his eyes to narrow, wondering why Neji had said something so pertinent with such a staid expression. He let out a deep breath.

"I know that, Hyuuga."

There was a pause while Neji seemed to examine him, and after a brief moment the police officer turned on his heel towards Lee.

"Come on," he said quickly, "They need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Lee saluted and waved towards the group, following Neji's powerful strides in the opposite direction of the tunnel lead.

"Good luck to you all," he said charismatically. "And when you see Naruto, give him my best."

Sasuke watched as the two disappeared into the darkness before turning to Sai.

"Now would be a good time for you to find your resources. I refuse to let this take three days. Get us a ride."

Sai only smiled and shrugged. "Always in control," he said smoothly and walked past Sasuke towards the encroaching darkness. "Give me ten minutes."

Sasuke followed him stoically, Kakashi and Yamato trailing him from behind. Sai found a circular manhole against the wall of the tunnel and pressed on the edges, causing it to groan free with a liberating pop. Without turning to the group he exited through it, and Sasuke wondered how the sewer had managed to come to ground level. He had heard of underground irrigation tunnels that surfaced for hydration processing, only he had never imagined that the sewer they had chosen would be one.

The three men waited in the darkness, Sasuke resisting the urge to tap his fingers against the long sleeve of his jacket. Yamato whistled from his position beside Kakashi and the gray haired man shook his head absently.

"I never imagined the day I would get the chance to meet the Sabaku family head on. Something tells me this situation is much trickier than it seems."

Yamato let his head bob once and chuckled, "We're getting too old for adventures like this."

"Hn. Speak for yourself," Kakashi fiddled with the bandanna tied around his forehead, covering his left eye.

"Kakashi, have you heard anything about Uchiha Corporate?" Sasuke was curious as to how Hinata was handling things. He wondered briefly what role Shikamaru had taken and frowned, hoping that all of his company's assets were still protected.

"Only that it is managing alright," Kakashi breathed, and Yamato nodded once again.

"Your father left your company with a nearly unbreakable Plan of Action. That and your power of attorney should be enough to hold off the big guns."

"How did you know I did a POA?" Sasuke questioned, and Kakashi let out a laugh.

"That's the least I'd suspect from you."

Sasuke nodded and crossed his arms across his chest. In all truth, he was more worried about the legal actions that would follow his little escapade, wondering how hard the government forces would fight to keep him from regaining the rights to his company. He had no doubts that Hinata would hand it over in an instant, all because they were now partners and complimented each other. Sasuke _knew_ people and Hinata had top researchers in the palm of her hand. If he survived this encounter and earned his position back, he would easily become the most powerful man of the western world.

"Why is it taking him so long?" Sasuke mumbled, not used to complaining. But time was running thin and he could feel it like a weight on him, his imagination running wild with the potential scenarios involving Naruto's entrapment. How did Itachi treat him? Hell, what did Itachi even _look_ like? It had been years since he had seen or heard from his brother… and when he envisioned his sibling returning, he definitely hadn't predicted it under these circumstances.

"Stop whining. I got us a car. An officer car, even."

Sasuke turned to Sai's voice as he stood lazily in the circular doorway, leaning back as if he had been standing there for ages. He was smirking, an expression Sasuke wanted to beat off of him, and his pale hands slid over his torso in a sensual way. Sasuke rolled his eyes and strode towards him.

"Don't expect a medal." He paused only briefly to allow Sai to take the lead, and didn't bother to motion Kakashi and Yamato behind him. He heard them follow as he trailed Sai through the oversized porthole leading to the darkening world outside. The streets were loud and crowded and there was some sort of commotion occurring a ways down, one that was distracting a rather large group of officers on the opposite side of the street. Sai pointed to a police vehicle shadowed by an overhead awning and Yamato quickly cut in front of him to take the driver's seat.

"There's a reason they call me The Get-Away."

Sasuke didn't argue, knowing it would cost too much time. Instead he slid into the raised back door, gliding onto the leather seats to the opposite side. Kakashi glanced over to Sai, eyebrow raised.

"Should I assume that's your handiwork?" He motioned to the brawl up the street and Sai forced out a clever smile.

"Hmm, not only that," he said as he slid into the seat parallel to Yamato. "The officer who owns this vehicle was caught in the cross-fire…this car shouldn't be reported missing for at least 12 hours."

Sasuke ignored the prideful remark even though he was grateful Sai had made such an effort. Yamato revved the car into action and it sped off, disappearing onto old country roads that promised them invisibility.

* * *

"As much as I am sure you'll hate this, plans have been changed." 

Itachi's voice was like ice and Naruto knew that he could care less what he felt. The man was tall and threatening, hovering outside of Naruto's cell like a hawk, his dark eyes roaming Naruto somewhat eagerly. It made Naruto self conscious, and he forced his eyes upward to glare.

"Okay, I'll bite. What's the plan?"

From the cell beside him Jiraiya was breathing quickly. Just like they had discussed, Itachi was beginning to get frustrated, and even impatient.

"It will be a cold day in hell when you take him from here," Kiba noted from the other side of the room. His voice sounded more exasperated than anything else and Itachi seemed to promptly ignore it.

"I'm going to have you get cleaned up. You need to look presentable if you're going to be flying first class," Itachi smirked, and then he turned to Jiraiya. "And you and the mutt over there are going to be traveling with the lovely Sakura, by train."

Naruto flashed a quick glance to Jiraiya, confused. "Why are we traveling separately?" He asked quickly, and without intending it, he was beginning to grow anxious. He felt his heart beat faster and turned his attention quickly back to Itachi.

"Because the two of you together is more harm than it's worth." It was a valid observation, even if Naruto had hoped Itachi wouldn't notice.

"So then, Naruto. I'm going to have Kankuro take care of you. Will you be good if I unlock this gate?"

Naruto felt panicked, worrying over Jiraiya and Kiba. He didn't want them to travel separately because he feared something would happen to them. After all, it wasn't a secret that _he_ seemed to be everyone's target.

"Of course. I'm not stupid."

"Good boy," Itachi said, and his tone made Naruto nervous. Even though Itachi had always been intimidating, at this point in time, he almost seemed livid. He fiddled with the key to the gating and Jiraiya grunted.

"Naruto, come here."

Naruto turned to the old man and raised an eyebrow, curious as to why he was being called. Jiraiya motioned towards his own cell siding and after a quick glance to Itachi, Naruto obeyed. He walked to the siding and Jiraiya pressed himself against it, his voice low.

"Put it in your pocket and never let it go."

Naruto tilted his head in confusion, but Jiraiya pointed to the paper in his hands. The list of ingredients, so to say, for disaster. Naruto glanced to the paper and nodded, tucking it tightly in the waistband of his jeans.

"I'm worried for you," Naruto said softly, and Jiraiya let out a chuckle.

"Worry about yourself, kiddo. I've been through worse than this."

Naruto smiled slightly, still nervous. "Please take care of Kiba. I have a feeling we're not going to see each other for a while."

Jiraiya nodded, and Itachi cleared his throat from behind Naruto. The blond let out a deep breath and Jiraiya drifted back to his seat, silently agreeing to Naruto's request.

"Naruto," Itachi said.

"I'm coming." It came out harsher than he had intended, but he didn't care. He exited and followed Itachi towards the staircase, taking a glance at Kiba for the first time. He felt his heart stop for a moment, memories he thought he had forgotten overwhelming him.

Kiba had always been the all-around attractive guy, with layered hair and puppy dog eyes that drove any girl wild. He was the playboy and the friend who always had something to say, and he always looked older than he was. And as Naruto met eyes with him, he remembered the friend he had from what seemed like ages ago.

"Your hair is shorter," he said absently. It was the only difference he could see, except for the fact Kiba was now older than him by three years. Kiba looked irritated at the comment and frowned, wrapping his fingers against the bars of his cell.

"Naruto, be careful."

Naruto paused a moment and nodded, smiling in a familiar way. It was a smile he had always only given Kiba—a smile that only best friends could recognize as confident and challenging. Turning away, he let out a sigh.

"Aren't I always?"

Though there was no response Naruto could feel Kiba smiling behind him. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he and Itachi exited the basement, met in a lobby by Kankuro. He looked less than excited about his babysitting position, and Naruto couldn't blame him. Aside from that, Naruto still felt like a mess. A shower actually sounded very nice.

"Come on. We need to be fast."

Kankuro grabbed Naruto's arm and yanked him forward, down a hall that didn't look familiar. The blond glanced back at Itachi who waved his hand in an oddly friendly manner.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Uzumaki."

Naruto frowned as Kankuro pulled him though a heavy door made of metal. It groaned open and Naruto imagined this new room to be the future example of a locker room, which to him was bizarre. What kind of a laboratory had a locker room? Itachi had really stretched his limits with creativity.

"I'll be here, you go over there. Don't try anything funny. No one told me I couldn't break your leg."

Naruto rolled his eyes and looked to where Kankuro was pointing. It was a small shower stall with a tan curtain, strangely homely for the modern design of the room in general. He glanced back up to Kankuro.

"What am I supposed to wear afterwards?"

Kankuro walked over to a loose set of cabinets and fumbled through a few boxes before removing one from the bottom. He thrust it towards him, and Naruto took it with an '_oomph'._

"What's this?" Naruto asked, holding the box up to examine it. Kankuro looked annoyed.

"Be grateful that Itachi has fashion sense. Everything he owns is name brand." Naruto frowned. 'Who kept their expensive outfits in a locker room in boxes?'

"Weird," Naruto said but he walked away, anxious to wash away the past few days. He set the box close to the outer edge of the shower and saw Kankuro turn away, a clear indication that he wasn't interested in watching. Naruto vaguely wondered if he was straight.

The shower worked like most did, by vocal commands. A simple word and description brought the steaming stream to life, and Naruto shrugged off his clothes without much thought. He welcomed the hot water, rubbing it across his skin and through his hair, content in feeling cleanliness again. The shampoo was sweet smelling and the soap was thick and slippery, and he savored the moment as one of the few of freedom he would have for a while.

"Finish up." Kankuro's voice cut through his reverie and Naruto scrubbed the last bits of shampoo from his hair, wiping the thin streams of soapy goo from his arms as they were pulled down by the weight of the water. He commanded the water off and used a towel from inside, quickly wiping away the hot beads coating his body. When he was finished he tugged his box inside, happy to see a nice set of denims and a long sleeved black muscle shirt. He pulled a white T-shirt over it, admiring the emblem that read, 'Look at me' in some sort of new age text.

He stepped out of the shower, tiptoeing to avoid getting the bottom of his jeans wet. "I need some sho—"

Kankuro was ten steps ahead, tossing over a pair of socks and the faded grey tennis shoes he had been wearing before. He pulled them on and stumbled forward, rubbing the towel through his hair, mentally noting again that his hair was getting too long.

"You look beautiful. Let's go." Kankuro was intimidating, and Naruto followed him out, surprised when Gaara seemed to be waiting impatiently outside of it. There was a blonde woman there as well and Naruto was surprised; the only other blonde he had ever met had been the student friend of Chouji's.

"Alright, kiddos. I've been assigned Sakura. You have a half hour before the first calling for the flight. Itachi stresses that _none_ of us should be late."

Naruto examined the woman with a keen interest, wondering who she was. Kankuro answered his questions with his next comment.

"Yes, _sister._ I'm sure we'll manage."

Naruto glanced between each of the siblings, feeling strangely accomplished. He was probably the only person who had seen all of the Sabaku siblings and lived to tell the tale. He remained quiet, however.

"We need to look out for Uchiha," Gaara noted, and Kankuro shook his head.

"If he gets in our way, I'm in my right mind to permanently dispose of him."

The blonde woman shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're too dramatic. Just get the job done. See you in a few days."

She left the conversation at that, spinning around and disappearing down the sterile white hallway. Naruto put his hands in his pockets again, feeling even more like they should hurry, only because he didn't want Sasuke to be 'permanently disposed' of.

"Come on," Kankuro said quickly, and Naruto blinked as the lights in the building all shut down, the sounds of a generator burning to a halt rumbling through the floor. He looked around, and jumped when Gaara's hand encircled his wrist.

"Do you like plane rides?" It was more of a statement than anything else, and Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering why Gaara was talking so freely to him. After a moment, the redhead and him drifted forward and Gaara grunted.

"I don't."

Naruto squinted his eyes as they exited the building, the bright light form the sun overwhelming him. He took one last look back as Gaara pulled him forward, taking in the tall and concrete building that was Osington. He felt his heart beat quickly and his eyes fell.

For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he felt like he would never see it again.

* * *

A/N-- 

UPDATES (a little about why they are late and what to expect for MiLoCo)

Alright, I know that my updating schedule has been off and I apologize. My mother is in the hospital under very serious conditions and I need to dedicate my efforts to helping her make it through this difficult time. Aside from that, I work full time and school will be starting again for me next week...so I'm going to need to manage my time a little more strictly than anytime before.

All of that being said, I love writing--especially this story. I am going to update every two weeks--the last chapter of Miz Biz should be due out around the 10-15th of January, and then Misery Loves Comapny will be updated every other week. Authors leave notes like this all of the time when they are planning to stop writing all together and I just want to let everyone know that for me, this is NOT the case. My updates will just be a little slower. **I refuse to leave any Misery Business (MiLoCo), AIYH, DW unfinished**. It won't happen. So don't get sad or anything, just understand that my life has gotten a little bit confusing and I'm doing my best to sort it out.

* * *

**So, summary: **

**Miz Biz 44 due date: January 10-15th**

**MiLoCo Release: January 22nd-30th.**

**MiLoCo to be updated: Every other week.**

* * *

**The End is Near...!**

Thank you for all fo the love and support for this story...it has really come a long way. I was actually thinking of posting my 'rough plan' that I wrote before I started it for laughs...because if you guys read it you'd see how confusing or far from baby steps it grew. Only if you want though.

But yes. One last chapter. I am SO excited it's not even funny. And you should be, too. Because the sequel...haha, well, if you guys thought this was good, the sequel is going to blow you out of the water.

I love you all and thanks you for your patience and continued support! I will do my best not only for myself and my love for these stories, but for all of you as well.


	44. All Good Things

**Misery Business**

**--**

**All Good Things**

* * *

If it weren't for the metal beams reflecting the sun's blinding light, Naruto was positive he wouldn't have recognized the glass structure in the distance. It blended in to the flat plains of a less industrial area, mirroring the gentle roll of gold and yellow wheat grass, hiding any hint of aircraft behind huge pin-point banners that stretched the sky. Naruto squinted his eyes as the hovercraft Itachi had provided drifted under an overpass, crouching down in his seat as the familiar nausea of motion sickness bit at his stomach. 

"We're almost there," Gaara murmured from beside him, and the comment was meant more as a statement than for comfort. The redhead was staring placidly out of a tinted Plexiglas window, his elbow balanced on the base rim, his palm supporting the curved arc of his chin. His forefinger played with the swell of his bottom lip, rolling over it in boredom, and Naruto let out a deep breath before turning his attention to the airport ahead.

It was less than ten minutes away.

It was hard for him to imagine that he would soon be inside of that building, and after that on some future rendition of an airplane flying to God knows where. His nerves were beginning to tingle and his stomach was beginning to crawl, making the uncomfortable flight of the astro-vehicle worse. He rubbed a hand tentatively over his stomach and tilted his head back against the seat, letting his mind wander.

_The future._

It had been a while since he had _really_ thought about it, or recognized how much his life had changed in such a short period of time. It hurt him a little to remember the past, because that life seemed all too much like a fading vision in his mind. He couldn't quite remember how green the grassy knolls of CU had been, or what sound the wind made as it whistled through the needle-point pines of mountain towns. He could vaguely recall the way the sun blinded him as it reflected from glossy hedges of snow, and a part of him wished he could name the perfect colors the sunset made as the sun disappeared behind the purple glow of the rocky horizon.

When he and Neji had traveled back, he hadn't really even thought about any of the instances running through his head. He had been so set on discovering the truth that he had forgotten to remember and admire everything what he had left behind. And now, as he sat in the backseat of a rather bumpy aerial drive, an unfamiliar pang of homesickness enveloped him.

Just _what_ had he left behind?

As he thought about it, letting the gentle lull of the vehicles rumble beneath him, he wasn't even sure himself. Every important person or thought sent him straight to the moment he was in now; straight into the future. It was as if the past were only a placeholder for a momentous life set aside for him, one that he was lucky enough to find on his own, despite the trials he had faced. Despite the conflict he was facing now.

Naruto peeked open an eye and examined Kankuro at the driver's seat wheel, pushing and prodding at levers Naruto hadn't the slightest knowledge about. He could feel Gaara's slow and rhythmic breathing beside him, and outside of the window, though it made him feel queasy to look, smaller factory buildings rushed by below like smudges of charcoal on gray canvas. He let his head drift to the side and he balanced it on the window, closing his eyes once again to keep the sick feeling at bay.

In all actuality, Naruto had never been on an airplane before.

It was a random thought, he realized, but one that was slightly ironic inside of his mind. In all of the houses he had lived at least one person was deathly afraid of flying, and so every trip he had ever taken had been by car. He remembered that, strangely enough. Sitting in the back seat, hot sun burning him through denim shorts and short puffs of air conditioning teasing him from the front of the car. But that had been when he was younger. When he got into high school, his life had changed.

Even though he had always had a family, per-say, Naruto had always been alone. In high school, that sense of solitude had just become more literal as he moved out of his foster parents' home, got a part time job, and tried to make sense of life. He had met Sakura and Kiba that year in a science class, and they had become an inseparable trio, like siblings that had come together after years of absence. He had clung to them, the only two stables in his life, and as time progressed, thought of them as the family he had always wanted.

But now, things had changed.

Sakura was no longer someone Naruto could trust or go to for help. She was no longer someone he wanted to have a life with. Instead she was just a shell of what he had remembered about her, a once bubbly personality turned icy and rigid at the prompt of money and opportunity.

And Kiba—Naruto wasn't sure where to place him.

He had believed for so long that Kiba had been as guilty as Sakura, so much that his own feelings towards him were a mixture of relief and numbness. The people he trusted—the people he _truly_ cared about were all here. In the future. In an indescribable place that towered around him, filling him with questions and driving him to danger, all for the sake of one thesis.

And one person.

Sasuke.

The vehicle lurched upward and Naruto's eyes shot open, following the ascent with squinted eyes. It gravitated towards a tunnel and zipped inside, shadowing the inside of the car in blackness. There was a smooth hum of air against Naruto's window and it made his head hurt, his ears plugging as the vehicle shot upward at a fast speed. He held his breath and closed his eyes, trying to distract himself from the fact they were almost there.

Sasuke.

He cared about Sasuke, more than he wanted to admit. But he _had_ already admitted it to himself and as liberating as it felt, it drove a new nervous sensation into his gut. He wanted to be helpful to Sasuke. He probably even wanted to be _more. _Loving someone was a huge step in itself, but like one of his foster parents had once told him, love was rarely enough. People naturally wanted to be physical, wanted to be dominating, even wanted to be _everything._ And Naruto knew, before everything else he felt, that he wasn't ready for that.

He was still lost in this new world of bright lights and metal buildings, searching for a purpose. A purpose that wouldn't endanger anyone at least, and one that made him feel comfortable. One that didn't make others have to constantly risk their lives for him.

"Uzumaki."

Naruto opened his eyes again, finding Kankuro's terse gaze in the rearview mirror. His eyes were more serious than usual, and as the car burst back out into daylight Naruto squinted and narrowed his eyes.

"When we get into the airport, stick with Gaara. I don't want any funny business."

Naruto nodded before turning his gaze away, feeling sardonic in his mind. Even if he had the sudden urge to run away, where did they think he would go? Spotting him wouldn't be difficult, to say the least. He let out a sigh as the vehicle slowed, pulling forward into an empty space on a valet riser. It was a moment before he realized they had reached their destination, his only clue the short taps from Gaara motioning him out of the door.

"Your side," Gaara said smoothly, and shoved him forward. Naruto glared momentarily before unlocking the side panel and sliding out, standing firmly on a metal gate.

Kankuro handed the ring of keys to a nearby tenant, and in the meantime, Naruto stared up in awe at the massive building before him. The hazy sun played tricks on the glass overlay of the outer walls, sending dark shadows over the boarding docks below. The valet service was slow and calm, and a huge pair of double doors opened automatically as people drifted forward through them. Naruto felt a hand grip his wrist and it startled him, and he turned to glance at Gaara.

"Come on," Was all that was said before he was pulled forward into the building. He didn't have the energy to shake his hand free, even though he was getting irritated at being pulled around. Instead he found himself examining the airport, taking it in like a child in a candy store.

It was gigantic. The domes he remembered seeing from miles away towered above him and he nearly tripped onto an escalator as he stared upwards with wide eyes. He, Gaara, and Kankuro were on the third level of the building, nearly four or five from the top. There were elevators and escalators around every corner, and the sweet smell of breads and the rich aroma of fine restaurant cooking invaded his nose. He felt his stomach growl beneath him and he stumbled closer to Gaara as the escalator ride came to an end.

As Naruto glanced down to the landings below two fingers snapped in front of his face, making him turn evenly to Kankuro. He looked irritated, and he was frowning.

"Focus, Uzumaki," he said quickly, and he turned to face Gaara as the trio sifted to a more unpopulated side of a flight deck.

"I'm going to go check in with Itachi. Board when they open the gate; I'll meet you there."

Kankuro handed a couple pamphlets to Gaara who took them dutifully, releasing Naruto's wrist in order to put them into a satchel at his side. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't there a security check?" He glanced around, not quite certain if they were in the outer portion of the airport or the inner more secure area. When he turned back to meet the gazes of the other two men, he noticed that Kankuro looked confused.

"Security for what?" He shook his head almost immediately after commenting, waving his hands passively. "I don't have time for this," he said and he turned to Gaara.

"Don't let him get into any trouble."

Gaara grunted in response and Kankuro disappeared down a sidelong hallway where a tiny photorealistic picture of a telephone blinked on a neon sign. From beside him, Gaara spoke tonelessly.

"You can look around, if you want."

Naruto peered over to him, raising an eyebrow. Gaara stood perfectly still, his arms hanging loosely from leather jacket pockets, and his expression void of anything resembling thoughtfulness.

"I'm not sure Kankuro would like that very much," Naruto said quickly, pocketing his own hands. He took in a deep breath, wondering when he was going to be able to eat next. In his pocket he felt the tattered edges of paper, and remembered that he had shoved the theory supply list somewhat hastily in there.

"Neither of us like to abide by rules," Gaara shrugged, and he turned around, wandering towards a bridge-like overpass that spanned over the center of the airport's interior. Naruto drifted forward to follow, nervous to be left alone.

When he caught up with him the redhead had paused, and turned backwards slowly to take Naruto in.

"You're strange," he said softly, and Naruto scrunched his nose in confusion.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said defensively, and he leaned forward against the rail to view the floors beneath them. People bustled about from shop to shop, and Naruto caught sight of a small bread shop with donuts and pastries in the window.

"Anyone else would have run away. I'm beginning to think you like Itachi."

Naruto turned backwards quickly, his eyes narrowing faintly.

"Of course I don't like him. It's not as though I have a choice in this situation, though." Naruto always wondered why Gaara spoke so freely with him. He was a cold and collected person, but he hardly seemed dedicated to the obligations at hand. The redhead remained quiet, however, and Naruto leaned forward further over the railing, excited to find more eateries.

"You're going to fall," Gaara said, and Naruto felt the height suddenly, and whipped himself back.

"You know, you don't seem to like Itachi much either." Naruto glared. He spun on his toes, leaning back against the railing and pulling his arms across his chest in a defensive manner. Gaara stared vacantly at him for a long moment before he shrugged and cocked his head to the side.

"Hn."

Naruto frowned and glanced to where the other man was looking, not expecting it to be a restaurant. A moment passed where Naruto felt irritated that Gaara hadn't answered his comment to the fullest, but he let it slide. Out of all of the Sabaku siblings he could see himself being more on level with Gaara, even though he knew that was an idiotic thing to think.

"Let's eat," Gaara said suddenly, and he drifted forward, as if expecting Naruto to follow. The blond did, out of fear of being left alone. The walkways were becoming more crowded as departure gates began to fill, and as usual, Naruto was receiving curious looks from passerbys. He jogged up behind Gaara and let out a low groan.

"While food sounds wonderful, I have no cash."

Gaara peeked back at him as he drifted to an automated order board, reaching his hand into the satchel at his side.

"You're Itachi's now. It's his expense."

Somehow, Naruto didn't like the sound of that. Gaara pushed a few coins into a slot next to a stir-fry—looking dish, and Naruto crept forward to examine the chart. Itachi's or not, his stomach was demanding food. He found a picture that looked like ramen and pointed up to it, watching as Gaara sifted through the change in his hand to enter the correct amount. The redhead followed his maneuvers by pressing a button labeled 'end', and a receipt ejected from the bottom.

"Follow me." Gaara turned to enter the small restaurant, motioning Naruto to follow closely behind him. There weren't many people inside but it was dark, the only lights neon red bulbs that flickered occasionally through long panels on the narrow ceiling. Naruto watched as Gaara gave his receipt to an attendant at the counter and slid into a seat at a long bar-table next to it.

Naruto followed in suit, pulling himself onto the stool with an unusual confidence. He had grown so used to not knowing how to act that is was becoming normal for him to just learn from others. Within moments a waiter exited with their food, setting the steaming mixtures before them.

Naruto pulled a fork out from a folded napkin in front of him and poked at the soupy bowl of noodles, turning idly to Gaara.

"Do they have chopsticks here?" It felt a little awkward to eat something so strongly Asian with a western utensil. Gaara paused from taking a bite of rice to give him a confused look.

"I don't know what a chopstick is," he said flatly, and he ate his rice peaceably.

Naruto let out a sigh and spun the noodles around his fork like you would spaghetti, rambling on.

"A chopstick is like a little stick, well, you use two—they were used in the eastern parts of the world to eat with…" he let his voice fade down as he realized Gaara nodding faintly from the side, though not giving him any sign that he was interested at all in what he was saying. "Oh, nevermind."

Naruto and Gaara finished their meals in silence, except for the bustling waiter who asked them occasionally if they wanted anything else or if they needed more water to drink. Gaara would always shoo him off with a menial glare, one Naruto couldn't help but compare to Sasuke's. The raven had a way of stopping people mid-sentence, or even mid-thought with just one furtive glance.

"You're thinking about him."

Naruto jerked his head to the side, surprised by Gaara's sudden outburst. It took him a moment to understand what he meant. He looked forward, pushing his bowl closer to the waiter's side of the counter.

"I wonder what he's doing," Naruto answered suddenly, and he thrummed his fingers on the metal tinted counter-top. Gaara snorted.

"You already know the answer to that question."

Naruto stopped the movement in his fingers and cocked his head to the side, sighing in irritation at the redhead.

"Alright, fine. I meant more like, I wonder if he is okay. You all said something about a prison break and it's had me thinking."

Gaara took a belabored sip of water before setting the glass cup down, letting it sound as it met the counter. He leaned forward and rested his head on the ball of his palm.

"Mm. He seems to be very resourceful, having allies like Kakashi and Yamato."

Naruto drank a little of his own water and looked thoughtful, if only for a minute.

"So they were in jail?" Naruto felt a rush of relief. All along he had believed that Sasuke had been incarcerated, but learning that he was still free and mobile sat happier in Naruto's stomach.

"Why haven't you run yet," Gaara asked suddenly, and Naruto glanced over to him. He narrowed his eyes.

"It's like I told you, I don't have a choice." Did Gaara want him to run? He didn't know, but the question was beginning to weight on him. "Why do you care?"

This time Gaara tuned his head, his eyes glowing soft under the maroon lighting.

"The last time we met, you fought hard to go back to him. This time…"

Naruto rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Not that I really owe you any sort of explanation, but things are more complicated than that."

Gaara continued to look at him before speaking softly, "I don't think so. The world is full of wants. You don't want this, so why do you feel obligated to go through with it?"

Naruto blinked and knelt closer to Gaara, examining him. He felt the urge to laugh, although his situation seemed too serious for comic relief, "Um, is this my assassin babysitter talking? You sound like you want me to try something,"

He drank some cool water and glanced at Gaara again, the same confused expression playing across his features. Gaara looked amused and a smile tugged at the corner of his lip.

"You're the only person I've ever met who hasn't been afraid of me," Gaara stated.

"I never said I wasn't," Naruto retorted, and added, "But who wants to admit something like that when it's obvious? I'm assuming you've killed a lot of people. I'm just another mark on the list."

"I wouldn't kill you," Gaara said stiffly. "I like you."

Naruto would have flushed if it weren't for the nature of Gaara's comment. It held no pretense of love or affection, just a simply acknowledgement. For reasons unknown to Naruto, Gaara saw him as an equal, and even though his mind registered that fact immediately, Naruto felt a little bizarre.

"If you didn't have a gun, I might want to be your friend, too," he agreed. There was a long moment of silence before Gaara spoke again.

"Is Sasuke your friend?"

It sounded incredibly peculiar, but Naruto nodded anyway, "Yeah. Yeah, he is."

The waiter came to pour them more water and smiled at them, his eyes lingering a little longer on Naruto than he would have preferred. Gaara didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't seem to care. A few more people had entered the small shop and the high pitched sound of laughter broke the stagnant silence of the room.

"The flight is to Middle America," Gaara said, and Naruto let out a deep breath.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"The train is FastTrac. It's economy, so it's not too fast," Gaara continued, and even as Naruto watched him with wide eyes, the redhead didn't turn his attention away from the wall of glasses parallel to them, on the other side of the counter.

"If you left now, I wouldn't chase you."

Naruto stared for a minute, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn't understand. There was no reason why Gaara would just let him go—it didn't make any sense.

"I'm not interested in your games," Naruto said shortly, and he took a long gulp of water in hopes to calm the impatient rhythm of his heart. He had gotten nervous and excited all at once.

"No games." Gaara seemed to assure, and when he met Naruto's unbelieving glare, he continued, "You were right earlier, about me not liking Itachi."

Naruto paused for a minute and felt heat rise to his face. "What?"

Gaara didn't answer, but Naruto's head was swarming so much that he wasn't listening for a reply. He could leave. He could _leave._ Where would he go? What would happen to everyone else? To Jiraiya… to Kiba?

"I can't just leave," he said sullenly, and he felt his head bog down in thought. The rush of excitement he had felt only a moment ago faded into what felt like an obligation, and Gaara stood up in preparation to leave.

Naruto was surprised by his sudden movement and jumped up to follow, even more agitated when Gaara walked quickly out of the restaurant and towards a hallway that seemed to lead towards public restrooms. Naruto grabbed the back of his sleeve and tugged it, angrier than he wanted himself to be.

"I gave you a choice," Gaara said, and he stopped so suddenly that Naruto almost ran into him. When he turned, Naruto frowned up at him.

"And now you're angry with me?"

"What you want is up to you."

Gaara walked further down the hallways and Naruto watched as he disappeared into the men's restroom door. He stood bewildered, his hand outstretched as if to follow someone, and tucked it into his pocket.

Gaara had his own agenda for Itachi's mission. That was obvious. But at what cost to him? Gaara would let him escape—would turn a blind eye, if only Naruto knew what he wanted. He had never seen this coming, he was completely shocked. But if he chose to leave… if he chose to run away, right now, he could find Sasuke.

But even then, what would it really mean? Naruto wasn't stupid. The government was looking for him. Sasuke was probably in trouble for hiding him, and for whatever had happened involving the prison. Even if he found Sasuke, it wasn't as though anything could ever return to the way it was. The freedom he had experienced, the activities he had done… they were all a thing of the past.

After all, he was no longer invisible. He had caused more trouble than he was worth. If there was a way to set things right, he would do it—simply because too many people had constantly sacrificed themselves for him, and the thesis he had created. But now, he could only see in black and white, and as he weighed his options, he only had one question for Gaara. One answer would make up his mind; would tell him what to do.

The redhead approached him steadily, his gaze still lingering and irate. Naruto let out a deep breath.

"So tell me, Gaara. Do your siblings feel the same way about Itachi?"

* * *

"Sasuke, I've got to tell you something." 

The car had been speeding for quite some time, so long that Sasuke was surprised they hadn't been pulled over. Despite the fact the car they had managed to steal was a law enforcement vehicle, the police still had rules and regulations. Flying above traffic without lights flashing and sirens blaring had to be breaking at least one of them, but Sasuke didn't care. At this point in time it was point a to point b, and if it took some leniency from the federal bureau he wasn't about to throw a fit.

"What is that, Kakashi?" He couldn't imagine what Kakashi would have to say, and he kept his eyes glued to the International clearance that was only a few miles away. He hoped the tolls would let them pass simply because they had the state logo on their side, firmly planted on each door. He wasn't as calm as usual, and his fingers fiddled with a spare scrap of paper at his side.

"I think I know where Itachi will take Uzumaki," he said, and Sasuke quickly glanced to him, surprised to see a police laptop display in his hands. He had hacked into what seemed like the internet, thumbing through pages that looked like flight schedules.

"Sasuke, I never told you this, but it may be important for you to know, now that Itachi has apparently resurfaced."

The raven scooted up in his seat, pulling himself to view over Kakashi's shoulder.

"And what is that?" he asked, and his voice was deceptively even.

"Itachi is most likely not working for himself. When he left, he had to join an organization… one that you may have heard of. One that is masterful at hiding people who are wanted in multiple countries."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and glanced up from the computer screen to Kakashi's face in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Kakashi glanced back to view him. "I'm talking about the Akatsuki. I thought Itachi would be smart enough to just use their talents to hide himself… but the longer I think about this entire situation, the more I feel like there is more to it than a simple thesis."

Sasuke frowned. "And you expect me to know them, why?"

Kakashi rolled his visible eye and turned his attention back to the computer, typing away a storm of codes.

"You were so much nicer when you were an impressionable little kid," he pouted, but before Sasuke could comment, he kept speaking.

"If he is involved with them and I _am_ right, we've got more to worry about than I originally thought. They'll be taking him to Old Central America, the drug-lord capital of the entire world."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he ripped Kakashi's shoulder. "What are you talking about?"

"People there are the only ones naive and desperate enough to protect such an extremist group… it's known, to people like Yamato and I at least, that Middle America is no place for any vacation."

"It's not even someplace we talk about in our free time. The Akatsuki is well known, Uchiha, and if they want Naruto… it can't be for anything good," Yamato added.

Sasuke shook his head. "Since when does anyone in this place want him for something good?" his voice was strangely distant.

"You do, it seems," Sai answered idly from beside him. He had almost forgotten that Sai was there, as quiet as he was. Still, his comment had caught Sasuke off guard.

Had he been that easy to read? It's not as though it bothered him, but Naruto needed someone to trust. The world was against him at the moment, and the only people he could trust were in hiding themselves. It made him angry, and it made him wonder why Yamato couldn't go any faster.

"Got it," Kakashi murmured, and Yamato peeked over from the driver's seat. Sai even leaned forward, competing with Sasuke to glance down at the file Kakashi had opened.

"Flight A735, transporter… Three seats reserved, all private in a first class lounge."

Sasuke felt his heart rush as he began to feel his adrenaline pulsing. He was reading over the page and his eyes continued getting stuck on one important bit of writing.

"It says the flight leaves in 15 minutes." He double and triple checked the glowing digital watch on the dashboard and peered out of the front windshield, not yet seeing the airport in the distance.

"We're cutting it close," Sai said from beside him, before settling back into his seat. He looked bored, and it irritated Sasuke. He was beginning to panic, feeling the weight of Naruto's future on his shoulders. If they didn't make it in time…

"Yamato, we have to be faster." Kakashi rarely sounded urgent about anything and so when he spoke so insistently, Sasuke could only let himself fall back into his seat, his hands hanging limp on his thighs. "I don't know what this is all about," Kakashi stated, "But we can't let that flight leave."

There was a moment of silence before Sai spoke, "If Akatsuki gets him, we'll just have to strategize on how to get him back."

Sasuke glanced over to the other boy in morbid curiosity, surprised to hear something seemingly eloquent leave his lips. Sai looked distracted and bored though, as he gazed out of the window, and after catching Sasuke's gaze, smirked.

"Hm. You're not the only one who wants something good out of him."

Sasuke clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes. "Don't say meaningless things," he said, and after a moment of Sai ignoring him, he spun back into his seat. His anxiety had been turned to anger for a good few minutes, and after a moment of thinking, he wasn't sure if that had been intentional on Sai's part.

Intentional or not, Sasuke fumed. If he made to with Naruto—no, _when _he made it to Naruto, he was the only one who was going to get _something good_ from him.

He watched the clock. Ten minutes left. He could see the airport.

* * *

Getting caught was as easy as Neji expected, but trying to convince the officers of the southern precinct that he was an officer himself provided him much more of a dilemma that he had imagined. As one brute man gripped his arms from behind, he let out a sigh, stepped backward and flipped the man flat on his back. 

He dusted his hands off methodically and put a hand on his hip, looking irritated.

"Honestly. Who is in charge here?"

Rock Lee was spouting some threats that involved his bird and a martial arts showdown which Neji patiently ignored, and when a tall man stepped into the small interrogation room, Neji frowned.

"Hm. I suppose you'll do," he mumbled quietly, and the man glared.

"I don't think you're in a position to be choosey about anything, Hyuuga."

Neji strut forward away from the entourage of cops that had led them into the official building, and took a seat in one of the free chairs.

"Since I don't have time for witty banters, I'm going to cut to the point."

This seemed to catch the lead officer by surprise and he sat down on the edge of the metal table, examining Neji for a moment before shooing the other officers away. There was an assortment of grunts and groans before the large interrogation room was left with only three people, one of which still ranting about the awful treatment.

"Lee," Neji said calmly, "Please be quiet."

The thin bowl-haired boy seemed to acknowledge him as he sifted forward and planted himself beside Neji, quiet as a mouse. The officer waved a passive hand.

"Alright, I'll bite. Though I can't promise you that any of your words will change my thoughts."

"You mean your preconceived notions," Neji bit out, but he quickly continued.

"I don't care about the issues between Danzo and Morino. They mean nothing to me, despite the fact I am an officer under Morino. This situation is very tricky, however, and I wish to request a meeting with both of them."

There was a moment of silence before the man burst out laughing, running a hand through his thick black hair.

"Why should I feel obligated to give you that?"

Neji stared up at him, his eyes earnest and serious. "A man doesn't work his entire life to join the police force and then, one day, sporadically become wanted. Don't be a fool. Call Morino and stop trying to play hero."

The man frowned, the comic expression on his face cut short by Neji's blunt statement. They stared at each other for a moment, and the officer turned to the outside door which was still open.

"Get Morino on the line. Tell him it's important."

From beside Neji Rock Lee smirked and Jeffrey, who had still managed to survive the commotion, hooted.

"This better be good," the officer said, and Neji nodded.

* * *

It was too late. 

Sasuke could feel it.

The words repeated themselves over and over in his ears, but still, the clock wouldn't slow. Minutes had turned into seconds, and seconds into moments…

"Sasuke, go," Kakashi said from beside him, though he didn't need to be told. He jumped out of the vehicle and skillfully dodged a valet guard at he entered the building, peeling through a thick crowd of afternoon arrivals. He weaved between them in order to catch the electronic flight status board hanging from the ceiling, his heart falling to his stomach when flight A735 blinked red.

He cursed, though it was inaudible.

He was too late.

* * *

Naruto couldn't tear his eyes away from the window, a thousand thoughts running through his mind. All of them circled and chewed at his conscience, all leading to one final question… 

_Did I make the right choice?_

It was louder now, as more people sounded from around him, making him breathe deeply to remain calm. Of course he had.

After all, he had decided to stay.

He watched as what would have been his flight drifted high into the pale grey sky, shadowed by clouds and blocked by other incoming aircraft. He wondered lightly how Gaara explained the situation to Kankuro, and hoped that it hadn't caused the other man much trouble. After all, when he had asked Gaara about his siblings…

"_So tell me, Gaara. Do your siblings feel the same way about Itachi?"_

_Gaara had smiled, an expression Naruto had never seen so genuinely, and one he had never intended to see._

"_Mm. You're friends won't get as far as Middle America." He seemed to promise. _

_Naruto wondered if Kankuro was the only one not aware of the uprising against the elder Uchiha, but it was too late for that. As long as Kiba and Jiraiya would be safe, his decision was made._

Naruto turned away from the bay window, his eyes widening as he took in the now crowded airport. He was in the baggage claim area and wasn't quite sure how he had ended up there, and on a heavier note, he had no idea how to escape such a huge building unnoticed.

He stepped forward, making sure to avoid any wandering eyes of officers that had gathered for security, and weaved his way towards a less populated area near the escalators. He attempted to read the overhead signs to determine which escalator to take, but his eyes narrowed in confusion. They were written in a newer form of English, one that probably made sense to everyone but him.

"What on earth is a Static Lounge?" He mumbled to himself, and he thought it sounded like a restaurant. He frowned and turned his head sideways, debating on whether to try another set of escalators at the other side of the baggage landing.

He paced forward, keeping his head low, and a small group of children fumbled behind him, tipping him forward. He reached forward to brace himself, inwardly cursing as he fell against someone, hitting his head hard against their back.

"I'm so sor—"

Naruto glanced up, wincing as he rubbed his head. He blinked a few times, narrowed his eyes, and gaped.

"Sasuke?"

The figure glared down at him, a brief hint of surprise vanishing quickly into a cold stare. Naruto took in the familiar features—the smooth dark hair that framed a porcelain face, dark eyes that seemed to glisten with intellect and experience. His outfit was wrinkled and creased, a sight Naruto had to examine for a moment, but by the agitated expression on the figure's face, Naruto knew it was him. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why, but Sasuke had somehow managed to make it to the airport.

"I can't believe you're here! Oh my God, and I was just trying to figure out where to go," Naruto glanced around, taking a sigh of relief. The weight on his shoulders seemed to lift and he let out a chuckle, running a hand through his hair.

"I can't believe I ran into you—of all people. How did you get here? I feel like it's been forever," he said, and Naruto's face fell when Sasuke bit his lip, let out a deep and frustrated sigh, spun around and stalked away. Naruto shook his head, looking around, wondering what he was doing.

"Sasuke…?" He jogged after him, surprised that his pace was so fast. A part of him was even hurt. Wasn't Sasuke glad to see him?

He rounded the corner to another hallway leading to public restrooms and was taken by surprise when Sasuke grabbed his collar and pushed him back against the wall, frowning.

"I… I thought you—"

Naruto raised an eyebrow and frowned, pulling his hand to rub the back of his head.

"Ouch," he said noncommittally, and glanced up into Sasuke's eyes, wondering what he was talking about. "You thought what?"

Sasuke leaned forward, removing his hand from Naruto's shirt and bracing himself against the wall on either side of him. Naruto felt Sasuke's forehead rest against his own, and to his confusion and surprise, Sasuke's eyes slid closed.

Naruto took a deep breath, finally understanding. He had seen Sasuke angry, he had seen him a little bit happy, and he had even seen him with a fraction of sadness. But this Sasuke—this was Sasuke worried.

Naruto tilted his chin forward so that their lips almost met, and spoke softly against them. "You're not imagining it," his lips ghosted across Sasuke's, "I'm right here in front of you."

Naruto imagined that he must have said something right, because Sasuke's lips surged forward and captured his own, pressing him more firmly against the wall behind him. The kiss went on for a few moments before Sasuke slowly pulled away, eyes opening to stare straight through Naruto.

"Do you know how much trouble you've put me through?" Sasuke demanded, although his voice still remained low. Naruto relaxed against the wall, smiling a little.

"A lot?" he ventured, and Sasuke didn't find it funny.

"That is the understatement of the century," Sasuke stated, and Naruto chuckled.

"The century, huh? I'm sure I could think of a few others…" His comment faded into silence as he caught Sasuke's half-lidded eyes, full of mixed emotions. Naruto tilted his head to the side and asked, "What is it?"

Sasuke was quiet for a moment and he pulled himself off of Naruto, crossing his arms over his chest. He was frowning, and looked too serious for Naruto to not be nervous.

"Naruto, we need to make a decision," he said, and from the sound of it, Naruto wasn't sure if he was going to like it. He pulled himself forward off the wall and put his thumbs through the loops of his jeans, letting them hang casually at his hips.

"What kind of decision?" he asked, although deep inside, he already knew.

"We need to decide whether or not we're going to—"

"We have to go back, Sasuke," Naruto said quickly. He felt as though he needed to say it—that if Sasuke gave him another option he would take it too easily. But he had already decided, hours before when he had been with Gaara, that he would do anything to set things right. And if he abandoned the people who depended on him…

"No, we don't," Sasuke said curtly. "I may be wanted, at the moment, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few people here who don't owe me any favors."

Naruto watched Sasuke rant, noting that the Uchiha business leader wouldn't make eye contact with him. Naruto let out a sigh and lowered his eyes, understanding.

Sasuke knew they had to go back. It was why he wouldn't face him. It was why his voice was low, and why his cheeks were higher than usual, trying to make up for the pride he felt he was losing.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, but the raven spoke over him.

"They're going to want to send you back. You know that, right?" His voice was cold, and Naruto nodded.

"Yeah."

"And you're okay with that?" Sasuke almost demanded, but his voice was still soft. Naruto frowned and shook his head.

"Of course I'm not. But if we don't go back—"

"You're such a good person. After Sakura, I would have thought that you would have learned something…" Even though the comment was harsh, Naruto simply nodded.

"I learned that I have a kid. I mean, I've already forgiven you for not telling me."

Sasuke's eyes shot over to his and lowered somewhat, as if whatever comment he had intended on making was drowned in thought. After a minute, he spoke.

"Yeah. I knew from the first time I met you," he said softly, and Naruto knelt back against the wall, feeling slightly frustrated.

"It doesn't matter. The past is the past—_really._ I want to start over."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and nodded, although Naruto could tell it was reluctantly. There was a scuffing commotion behind them and they both turned, surprised to see three officers.

"T-that's him. U-Uchiha—and the traveler!" one man spit out, and the other two lowered their hands to the belts at their waists.

Naruto almost chuckled as Sasuke turned to face him again, a look of defeat on his face.

"Well, at least we don't have to pay any cab fees," he said, and Sasuke leaned forward, cupping his chin.

"You talk too much," he stated, and kissed Naruto again, long and soft. It was as if they would never be this close again as Sasuke gripped his arm, and Naruto slowly closed his eyes and fell into the moment.

Still, the image of Sasuke's expression when he kissed him would never leave his mind.

* * *

"Hey, hey, hey—everyone, be quiet!" Morino stomped through the southern precinct, trying to hush the dull roar of rumors and conspiracy theories running rampant. Neji saw him approaching from inside the interrogation room, along with a collection of other people. As Morino entered and stepped to the side, three figures were escorted in, and Neji snorted. 

"Well that didn't take long," he said, and Kakashi, Yamato and Sai all looked different levels of irate. They drifted into a few loose chairs alongside Neji and remained quiet, Morino yanking a cellular phone bug from his pocket and jamming it into his ear.

"Look, Johnson, I'm a little—you what?" Morino's face turned from beet red to ashen in seconds and he nodded, a movement that told Neji everything.

"They've got Sasuke and Naruto," he stated to the rest of the group, and Kakashi sighed. Yamato rolled his eyes and Sai smirked, an expression that irritated Neji.

Morino spoke a few more short sentences before he hung up, shoving the small bead back into his pocket. He glanced down at Neji, his whole being fuming.

"What the hell is going on?"

It wasn't a surprising question considering the last time he had seen his commander was right before running away with Sasuke. He didn't let the older man's intimidating behavior influence him though, he merely shrugged.

"To be completely honest, I have no idea." And it was honesty speaking, because he didn't have a clue as to where the police stood with any of the situation. Morino glared and placed thick hands on slender hips, breathing hard through his nose.

"Where is Uchiha Itachi?" he said, and Neji raised an eyebrow. From beside him, Kakashi spoke.

"I believe we're in no position to give you information without any deals."

Yamato nodded, closing his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. Sai looked amused.

"Deals? You're both wanted by more states than I can count—and you," he glared at Sai, "I don't even know who you are. But if you're with the likes of them, you can't be anyone good, either."

Sai frowned, "That was a little uncalled for."

Neji waved his hands in the air to silence the miniature debate, "Look, I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but most of our questions will probably be answered when Naruto gets here."

Morino glared at him and Neji shrugged again, "I'm right, aren't I?"

Morino bit his lip and rolled his eyes. He was silent for a minute and then he spoke.

"Danzo's on his way here. If things aren't under control, this precinct risks losing it's standing." His tone was methodical and serious, and Neji's eyes widened.

"Shutting down this half of the P.D. would be stupid," Neji commented.

"Well, Danzo _is_ stupid," Yamato replied, and this caused heads to turn his way. Neji opened his mouth to tell Yamato just to be quiet, but Morino beat him to the chase.

"And how would you know Danzo?" Morino inquired, eyebrow raised.

Yamato laughed and shook his hand dismissively. "I'm with Kakashi. No deals, no words."

Morino frowned and a commotion sounded from the main hall, drawing all of their attention outwards. A group of officers had entered and before Neji saw any faces he knew who had arrived. A tall and wiry man with a disjointed face and beady eyes. He was glaring at Morino.

"Morino, a word."

A hush fell over the ward and the commander looked irritated before sifting out into the lobby. Kakashi frowned.

"I'm assuming that is Danzo?" he questioned, and to everyone's surprise, Sai answered.

"Yes."

Neji stood up and shook his head. "This whole situation is a mess. When Naruto and Sasuke get here—"

"What were you saying, Hyuuga?"

Neji turned to the side as a group of officers ushered said people in, both looking very displeased. The officers glanced to each other quickly before leaving the room, locking it behind them.

"Are you two alright?" Neji asked earnestly, mostly examining Naruto. They both looked fine, despite the fact everyone's nerves were beginning to show. He glanced down at the table beneath him and to the door as Morino slid it open.

"Neji, Uchiha, come with me," he said, and he frowned at the rest of them. "Try not to do anything stupid."

Naruto watched as Sasuke gave him an agitated glance, as if to say, _so it begins._

Naruto smiled slightly and watched them disappear outside of the door, noticing how Morino didn't lock it.

From behind him, Yamato spoke.

"Long time no see, kiddo."

Naruto turned around and his eyes widened, surprised that he hadn't realized there were other people there. His nerves were beginning to make his hands cold, and he smiled charmingly.

"Hello, Yamato. Sai," he added, and he frowned. "Don't' tell me you were all—"

Sai nodded, smiling one of his extreme grins, one that made Naruto bite his lip.

"You really didn't have to," he said, and he glanced down to the floor. The man in between Yamato and Sai twisted outward to examine him, and looked skeptical.

"I still don't see why Sasuke is crazy about you," he stated, and Naruto glanced up to meet his one visible eye.

"It's nice to see you again, too," he said, and the grey-haired man snorted.

"You talk funny." He turned back in his chair, looking bored. Naruto lowered his eyes.

"You look funny," he retorted, and Yamato laughed.

"Oh, what a happy family you'll all make." He shook his head and Sai looked uninterested.

"Are you all going to go to prison?" Naruto asked lamely, wondering what exactly he could do to help. He wasn't sure what his words would mean, but he really wanted to speak to the commanders as soon as possible.

Yamato shrugged. "Probably. Although, I'm beginning to wonder why Morino didn't lock the door."

Kakashi seemed to smirk beneath his handkerchief. "You noticed that, too?"

Naruto glanced to the door, and back to the trio, "What are you talking about?"

"Morino wants us to escape so we'll give him information on Itachi later," Sai stated, and Naruto frowned.

"What?"

Yamato stood up and dusted his hands off, grinning. "Don't worry about it. We'll stay until Danzo offers a deal. He will."

Naruto frowned and turned towards the door, surprised when it opened again, this time, Morino motioning to him. "I'm assuming you are Uzumaki?"

Naruto took in the tall and muscular man, feeling intimidated. He nodded, slowly, and Morino snorted.

"Come on."

Naruto turned back towards the other three and nodded to them, hoping it would somehow symbolize his thanks. Sai smiled lightly, and Yamato gave a thumbs up, something he was sure the older man had learned from travelers he had encountered in the past. Kakashi barely looked his way, but Naruto didn't mind.

He followed the commander out of the interrogation room and down a narrow hallway, wondering if they were going to meet up with Neji and Sasuke. The rooms were very quiet, however, and Naruto was beginning to feel nervous in the pit of his stomach. The commander wouldn't look at him and all Naruto could hear were boots against linoleum, and slowly, he started to understand.

He wasn't sure how he knew, or even why. It was like intuition, a thought running laps inside his head. Everything seemed to turn slow motion, from his arrival in the future all the way to Sasuke kissing him at the airport, and straight to his near-final words.

_I want to start over._

Naruto felt his heart beat race only to slow, and the cold feeling in his hands begin to ebb away. He had known all along, somehow, that returning would have its consequences. The bitter part of himself complained, as it had hoped that he would have at least had more of a chance. Morino led him into a big room, and closed the door behind them.

"Have a seat," he said, and Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"You have no intention of letting me stay," he stated, and to his surprise, Morino looked astonished. Maybe few people could read him, Naruto didn't know. But separating him from first Neji and Sasuke had been perfectly played out, and now from the others had ensured that no one knew where he was in the complex.

Morino sat down behind a heavy metal table and glared at Naruto's seat, a place that Naruto refused to sit. He looked angry, but Naruto could tell that this decision had been a difficult one to reach.

"I don't think I need to tell you why," he said, and Naruto frowned.

"Because you're afraid of what my knowledge will bring."

Morino snorted and rolled his eyes. "I don't care about science. I care about law. Law and protecting people. I'm surprised that you're so blind to the danger you're causing Sasuke and his company."

Naruto stepped forward, balling his hand into a fist, "I came back because I wanted to fix it. I could have left—I could have gotten on a plane and just disappeared!"

Morino was quiet for a moment, and then he nodded, "You're right. But you didn't. You did the right thing and owned up to your responsibilities. I'm asking you to do the same thing now."

Naruto was about to speak, but he was taken aback. He frowned and tilted his head to the side, "You're asking me?"

The commander tapped his fingers on the table and his expression calmed a bit.

"If you choose to leave, of your own free will, it will lessen the consequences for both Neji and Sasuke—and every other person that has helped you in hiding."

Naruto stepped back. "Why would I agree to that? And why should they be in any more trouble? None of us have done anything wrong," he huffed.

"Nothing wrong?" Morino chuckled but didn't make eye contact. He seemed to be examining the floor, picking it apart with his eyes. "As far as law is concerned, you've done everything wrong. You're information is linked to the Uchiha massacre, you've traveled with knowledge of our laws and restrictions, you've endangered a federal agent _and_ civilians, and also damaged a scientific market that was very necessary for our society," Morino took a breath.

"Not to mention you've been in communication with two of the world's leading assassins—on friendly terms, and who even knows what you did with the Sabaku family. If you stay here, Sasuke's accreditation will be ruined. His company will fall, and all you'll have left is a guilty conscience. Not to mention, Itachi hasn't been caught. The more you're around Sasuke, the more likely he is to become a target."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak but closed it, unsure of how to argue. He frowned, and narrowed his eyes.

"Even if you send me back, Itachi still has ways of traveling. He'll find me, no matter where I am—that is, if he even still wants me."

Morino looked up to him and shook his head, smiling in a way that made Naruto angry.

"Of course he does," he said, and Naruto glared.

"What I think it bizarre is how you haven't asked me one single damn question. Tell me, Morino, did you know what was going on the entire time, or do you enjoy making presumptuous conclusions?"

"I'm not the one who knew."

Morino stood up from the table, his expression stern. He walked towards the back of the small room, opening a back door. He motioned Naruto through it, and Naruto looked at it skeptically before shaking his head. Morino rolled his eyes and Naruto slowly stepped forward, feeling his heart beat heavy in his chest. He walked through the door and entered what seemed to be an upper level storage room. In the middle sat the Gamabunta, and Naruto whipped around to him.

"How did you—"

"Please do what is right."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and a voice sounded from beside them.

"Yes. Staying here will only do damage to the people involved. If you leave, I can assure you that both courts will drop all charges."

Naruto turned to a tall and lean man, one that looked damaged with age and cruel by nature.

"I don't even know who you are," Naruto said, and he felt ganged up on.

"I'm someone with great influence," he said, and Naruto whirled his vision back to Morino, who looked somewhat ashamed. _Is he being blackmailed?_

Naruto shook his head. "I can't leave. I have a son."

The older man laughed and it sent chills up Naruto's spine. "He'll be well taken care of, I'm sure. Think about it Uzumaki. After your history, could you even be a parent?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, "How did you—"

"You're arguments are all lost causes. I'm sorry for your lack of say, but this really is for the best."

A few officers came from the shadows to grip Naruto, but the blond shook them away. He narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"I can do it myself."

He didn't have a choice, and he didn't want to risk anyone doing it wrong. Danzo stepped forward and entered the machine with him, obviously to be the one to take it back to the future.

Naruto caught Morino's eyes before the hatch lowered, and spoke his piece.

"Someday, Morino. Someday this will come back to you. Someday you'd realize that this wasn't _right_ at all."

The hatch closed and Naruto fiddled with the switched, his mind in a haze. It couldn't be happening. Everything was wrong. He didn't feel motion sickness and his head was spinning, tears squeezing themselves form his eyes. He wouldn't look at the man beside him, he wouldn't dare to show any type of defeat. He didn't want to think of what Sasuke would look like or what he would say when all was said and done, and he didn't want to admit that he felt like a fool for trusting his good nature yet again.

The machine arrived and Naruto stepped out, memorizing the features of the old man before the latch closed in front of him, leaving him standing in a mountainous fielded area somewhere in the western foothills of Colorado.

He was confused, and he was angry, and he dug his hands into his pockets, hoping for some sort of reminder that everything he had experienced wasn't a dream. Would he forget? Would they forget him?

His hands found something rigid, something crumpled and disjointed. He dug it out and stared down, a newfound surge of confidence overwhelming him.

The list.

_Wait for me, Sasuke._

After all, his adventure was far from over.

* * *

**--MizBiz--**

**END**

* * *

**--AN --**

Wow.

So first off, I want to begin by saying that there is a sequel, in case any of you missed that, haha. A sequel that will be summarized at the end of this author's note, though not to incredibly great detail...'cause, well, by now you all should know about me and plots. :: laughs ::

I can't believe I got all of this out in less than a year. Really, it amazes me. Forty-four chapters, some 352 (and then some) pages, countless hours and amazing reviews. My mind has gone into a tizzy on multiple occasions trying to work out the timeline of events, as I'm sure all of yours have at some point, too. But look guys! We made it...all the way to the end...which isn't _really_ the end...just the beginning of something even more spectacular and adventurous.

And dare I say...romantic...? Haha.

Thank you to all of my readers, reviewers or not, for being excited for Misery Business and helping to feed the beast that it was. I don't want to talk too much like this is the end of it, because really...the sequel is going to be killer. I already know. I mean, most of you are probably thinking, 'how could it end like this...??', right? But don't worry.

After all, Naruto's never really been one to go back on his word.

That being said, here is everything you need to know about the sequel. I hope you all decide to continue on with it and I can promise you that it won't be a disappointment.

* * *

**Misery Loves Company**

**Rating:** M

**Summary:** As Naruto struggles to discover his purpose, he ends up discovering himself. The road to vengeance is never pretty, but with a new intelligence and even greater allies, the future really, _really_ never saw this coming.

Unfortunately, neither did Sasuke.

Full of action, love, adventure, intrigue...and, of course, SasuNaruSasu like never before.

**Chapter One Release:** February 1st

To be updated bi-weekly. (promise)

* * *

And last but not least, a huge thank you to Allys who has been the light of this story's life. 

::GLOMP::

* * *

Thank you! I love you! You're all amazing! It's been fun! I hope you keep reading! 

**::hugs::**

XoXoXo


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